Soon .. "Google Maps" offers the most environmentally friendly paths

Yesterday, Google announced a number of improvements to its artificial intelligence-based mapping service, Google Maps, including automatic display of paths that allow users to improve their carbon footprint.

Soon, the vice president in charge of products at Google Maps, Dane Glasgow, wrote that the pathway that leads his behavior to the emission of less carbon dioxide will be the first suggestion that Google Maps provides to users if the time required to reach the destination is roughly equal to the fastest. Way".

"If the more environmentally friendly path leads to a significant increase in the time to reach the destination, the user will have the opportunity to compare the relative carbon footprint of the two roads before choosing one of them," he added.

Google clarified that limiting the suggestions to the shortest way will still be possible by modifying the preferences in the application settings.

The California-based group explained that it had collaborated to develop this new tool with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the US Department of Energy.

The Internet giant based the determination of the environmental friendliness of the path on several factors, including "the steepness of the road and the slowdowns caused by traffic jams."

And Glasgow noted that "the proposal for more environmentally friendly methods will start in the United States later this year, with its coverage eventually becoming global."

In the same context, Google created a system that alerts the user that he is in a low-emission area.

The system will be available from June in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain on devices running Android and iOS operating systems.

In the coming months and all over the world, Google Maps will also refer to the more environmentally friendly means of transportation to get to a place.

Among the other innovations announced by "Google Maps" the creation of a feature that helps guide a person inside a building thanks to the "Live View" tool, which is currently available in some shopping centers in major American cities (Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle). This tool is also valid for airports at a later stage.

The app will also provide an exit decision-making tool based on weather and air quality, and will be rolled out in the United States, India and Australia.