Global warming is a reality, and the climate worldwide is being impacted. Every preventive measure helps, and Google is stepping in to contribute. The company has announced on its official blog that Maps and Search will show climate-friendly alternatives when searching for directions for the commute. Google Maps will display public transit and walking routes if the travel time is “comparable and convenient.”
Google Maps Will Display Public Transit and Walking Options
The new update from Google aims to encourage users to consider taking a bus, train, or walking to their destination instead of driving. According to the blog, the Maps or Search app will display a public transport or walking route at the bottom in an ‘Also Consider’ card. These options will appear if the travel time is comparable to driving.
As per the official announcement, this new feature aims to encourage more users to choose less carbon-emitting commute options. Google has announced that the new feature will be available in the coming weeks.
It will be rolled out to users across 15 cities globally including Brussels, Budapest, Cologne, Hamburg, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Montreal, Paris, Rome, and Sydney.
In addition to eco-friendly transit options in Maps, Google is also expanding train route information in Search and adding bus routes. Train route information is now available in 38 countries, and bus information in 15 countries.
When commuters search for trains from point A to point B in Search, they will see train/bus schedules and ticket prices on the results page. They will also be able to make bookings from the same page. Moreover, when users look up flights, Google Flights will suggest train routes if they are a better alternative.
The Google Flights app will now provide estimated emissions for each flight. This feature will aid users in selecting flights with lower emissions or a train on the same route, if available.