Sick of missing your exit? These new Google Maps features can help

If you use Google Maps, several new features are on the way to make your journey a little easier — including Gemini, the company’s AI assistant, to help find suggestions and answer your questions, as well as enhanced navigation “from start to finish.”

In a blog post on Thursday, Google announced a number of new features headed to Maps. Here’s what’s new:

Ask Maps for Gemini-inspired curation

Many people already use Maps to find local restaurants or things to do. Now, you can use Gemini for inspiration. For example, Google says, you could ask Maps for “things to do with friends at night,” and it will give you a list of the best nightlife spots in your area. Ask for “places with live music,” and you’ll see the best places with bands and so on. 

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AI-summarized reviews will show you what people like about a place, though you have to wonder what happens if the AI sees a joke review and sends a faulty response. You can even ask further questions, like whether a restaurant is kid-friendly or has a romantic atmosphere. 

In a live demonstration of the feature during a press event, a Google representative pulled up a restaurant on Maps and asked Gemini about the atmosphere. Gemini responded that it was “lively and cozy.” 

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The curation feature is rolling out in the US on Android and iOS this week.

Enhanced navigation

Your drive is about to get a little easier with enhanced navigation on Maps. First, you can tap “add stops” once you’ve added a destination to find top landmarks, attractions, scenic spots, and dining options. To help you while you’re on the road, enhanced navigation will show you lanes, crosswalks, and road signs clearly on the map, along with lane indicators to show you exactly which lane you should be in. 

Weather disruption reports are also coming, including flooded, unplowed, and low-visibility roads.

Arrival guidance

If you’ve ever arrived at an unfamiliar place at night, you know it can be tricky to see where you need to go. A new Maps feature will light up the building entrance and parking lot on the map and remind you to save your parking spot. 

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Once you’ve parked, you’ll have the option to see walking directions from your car to the entrance, even with AR walking navigation. This feature should start arriving on Android and iOS this month in 30 metros.

Immersive View for venues 

Heading to a big game or concert? Immersive View lets you experience what stadiums, parks, college campuses, and routes look like using AI, and even what weather and traffic conditions will be like on a future day. This feature debuted several years ago, but starting this week, Immersive View will expand to 150 cities globally, including in places like Brussels, Kyoto, and Frankfurt. 

Immersive View is also adding new details, including places to park and a heads-up if you have a complex turn coming. This update starts rolling out this week on Android and iOS.