Google Maps has today introduced yet another India-first “Stay Safer” feature for its users. The feature will now alert and notify users traveling in taxis and auto-rickshaws when their vehicle goes off-route and also share the live status of the trip with friends/family.
Users of Google Maps in India will be able to use this new feature on their Android phones with the latest version of the app.
Announcing the feature, Amanda Bishop, Product Manager, Google Maps said, “Our new ‘Stay Safer’ feature on Google Maps will alert users who are traveling in taxis, auto-rickshaws, etc. in case their vehicle goes off route, giving them peace of mind. We are committed to helping make journeys safe and hassle-free and look forward to bringing more experiences like this to India and beyond.”
To use this feature, after searching for your destination and getting directions, enable this experience by selecting the “Stay Safer” and “Get off-route alerts” option. Once enabled, if the driver deviates more than 0.5 kilometers from the Google Maps suggested route, the phone will buzz with a prominent notification, and users can tap it to see where they are compared to the original route.
Then, users can also choose to share the live trip with friends and family directly from that screen so they know and can keep track of the journey.
Recently, Google launched three new India-focussed public transport features including live train status, bus travel times derived from live traffic and mixed-mode commute suggestions that now combine auto-rickshaw and public transport.
