Google has introduced a number of new features in Google Maps designed to help users travel safely by car or public transport as countries reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
With the latest version of Google Maps on Android and iOS, users of the app will be able to receive notifications about whether their trips will be affected by any restrictions due to COVID-19, such as the requirement to wear mask on public transport or if there are any checkpoints or restrictions on the driving route.
"The transition from A to B can be very complicated these days. "Because of COVID-19, it is increasingly important to know how many people may be at a train station at a given time or if the buses are running on limited routes," Ramesh Nagarajan told blog of the company.
“The existence of this information before and during duration of your journey is vital for workers who need to get to work safely and will become even more important for everyone as countries around the world begin to reopen.”
Users in COVID-19 medical facilities or testing centers will also receive alerts that remind them of the facility's safety instructions and will be able to verify the possibility of testing to avoid rejection, Google says.
Additionally, the company said that to help users avoid crowded public transit, users will be able to see peak times when a station is historically more or less busy. Users will have access to live data which will show how busy a station is compared to normal levels.
The data will be aggregated and anonymous according to the company and will be used by local and state governments or by websites to feed the new features.
Initially, the notifications will roll out in Australia, the United Kingdom, the USA, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, France, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain and Thailand.
