Google Maps scores big upgrade with Immersive Navigation

Which Google app would you fight the hardest to keep, if you could only still keep using one? We’d probably have quite a few on our short list, but one of the easiest to make the case for has got to be Google Maps, which has just utterly transformed the way many of us find our way around. While Google’s regularly making Maps even better, today we’re getting some of the biggest news about Maps upgrades in a while, with the introduction of not just the Gemini-powered Ask Maps tool, but also a new Immersive Navigation experience.

We’d forgive you for feeling increasingly burnt out on “now with more AI” announcements, so let’s get started with Immersive Navigation. Google’s going back to the drawing board with how Maps communicates your route to you, and has developed a rich, intuitive 3D view that combines buildings, terrain, and road details in a holistic way to make sure you always know where you are and where you’re going next.

That view changes and adapts to your needs, automatically zooming in and out to focus on where you need to be paying attention. Under the hood, these upgrades actually do tap into Gemini (although not in a way you might immediately notice), analyzing Street View imagery in order to develop a more complete understanding of locations.

In addition to the visual overhaul, you can also look forward to more natural-sounding voice directions, like “skip this turn here and make the next one.”

Ever get frustrated when Google Maps suggests alternate routes to the one you might prefer, but isn’t completely clear why those other ones might be superior? Google’s working on improvements there, trying to better highlight each route’s benefits.

All these Immersive Navigation changes start arriving today for users in the US. Over the next few months, Google intends to expand access, including to Maps in vehicles.

In addition to that, we’re also learning about the arrival of Ask Maps. When we first spotted evidence of this last month, we observed that its launch seemed imminent, and today Google proves us right.

Ask Maps is all about giving you a conversational interface to pick Gemini’s “brain” about its knowledge about locations your might want to visit. Instead of messing around with targeted searches and filters to further restrict those, you could ask, “I’m going to be downtown late tonight. Where can I find coffee after 8pm that’s going to have an easy place to park?”

As you’d expect from Gemini, Ask Maps can pull up preferences you’ve already shared with Google, so you’re not constantly clarifying that you prefer vegetarian restaurants, or need a gas station that sells diesel. And as you could also probably assume, Ask Maps would love nothing more than to help finalize any plans it assists you in making, booking reservations on your behalf and sharing that info with the rest of your party.

Ask Maps is also starting to debut today, premiering on mobile in the US and India. Google says that desktop support will be coming soon.