Photo: Android Police
We’ve known for a while that Google Maps is a super-advanced application when it comes to finding a faster route to a specific destination, but now Google is working directly with state authorities to make the app even more helpful.
In India, for instance, the search giant has joined forces with traffic police departments in Bengaluru and Chandigarh to show speed limit information right in Google Maps.
The information is, therefore, as accurate as possible, and users need to manually enable the speedometer in Google Maps to see the data.
The local media says Google is already planning to bring the speedometer to more locations in India, as it’s currently working with the local authorities on adding speed limit information to the Google Maps database.
The partnership between the Mountain View-based company and local authorities has also helped improve the traffic conditions in Bengaluru. Google helped the police optimize the traffic light timings, and based on traffic data collected by Google Maps, the city managed to obtain a 20 percent reduction in the overall congestion on the local roads.
The new speedometer appears to be available exclusively on Android devices and to enable it, users in the supported Indian regions need to head over to the settings screen and look for the dedicated speedometer toggle.
Google working with governments on improving navigation data isn’t necessarily something new, but in India, the company is working on bringing its essential capabilities to as many users as fast as possible.
A few days ago, the search firm managed to launch Google Maps Street View in the country after no more, no less than 11 years since the first attempt. Google failed to bring Street View to India sooner because of the local privacy regulations, but the company eventually partnered with local companies specifically for the collection of street-level imagery in the country.
The information is, therefore, as accurate as possible, and users need to manually enable the speedometer in Google Maps to see the data.
The local media says Google is already planning to bring the speedometer to more locations in India, as it’s currently working with the local authorities on adding speed limit information to the Google Maps database.
The partnership between the Mountain View-based company and local authorities has also helped improve the traffic conditions in Bengaluru. Google helped the police optimize the traffic light timings, and based on traffic data collected by Google Maps, the city managed to obtain a 20 percent reduction in the overall congestion on the local roads.
The new speedometer appears to be available exclusively on Android devices and to enable it, users in the supported Indian regions need to head over to the settings screen and look for the dedicated speedometer toggle.
Google working with governments on improving navigation data isn’t necessarily something new, but in India, the company is working on bringing its essential capabilities to as many users as fast as possible.
A few days ago, the search firm managed to launch Google Maps Street View in the country after no more, no less than 11 years since the first attempt. Google failed to bring Street View to India sooner because of the local privacy regulations, but the company eventually partnered with local companies specifically for the collection of street-level imagery in the country.
Google News