Global warming is real, and the climate worldwide is taking a hit. Every preventive measure helps, and Google is stepping in to do its bit. The company has announced on its official blog that Maps and Search will show climate-friendly alternatives when looking up directions for the commute. Google Maps will show commuters public transit and walking routes if the travel time is “comparable and convenient.”
Google Maps Will Show Public Transit and Walking Options
The new update from Google aims to encourage users to take a bus, train, or walk to their destination instead of driving. According to the blog, the Maps or Search app will show a public transport or walking route at the bottom in an ‘Also Consider’ card. As mentioned before, these options will appear if the travel time is comparable to driving.
As per the official announcement, this new feature aims to push more users to opt for less carbon-emitting commute options. Google has announced that the new feature will be available in the coming weeks.
It will roll 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.
Apart from 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 look up 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 complete bookings from the same page. Additionally, when users look up flights, Google Flights will show train route suggestions if it’s a better alternative.
The Google Flights app will now show estimated emissions for each flight. This will help them choose flights with lower emissions or a train on the same route, if available.
