Google Adds New Safety Feature To Maps — Keep Calm And Stay Safer

Going forward, when you board an Uber or Ola from point A to point B, anywhere in India, keep Google Maps on. If and when the driver deviates from the assigned drop route for 500 metres, your phone will buzz with a notification informing you about the deviation. In addition, and you can alert the can aggregator, friends and family, and even the local police.

The new feature called 'Stay Safer', the India-first feature was rolled out on Wednesday. The feature alerts Android users traveling in public transport like taxis or auto rickshaws if their drivers deviate more than 0.5 km from the route suggested by Google Maps.

The users' phones will trigger a notification which can be tapped on to take a look at where they are in comparison to the original route.

Amanda Bishop, Product Manager, Google Maps, said, "Through our extensive research across India, we found that a lot of people limit their mobility due to safety-related concerns. To address this, we are launching this India-first feature."

To activate the service, one has to select the 'Stay Safer' and 'Get off-route alerts' option after searching for the destination and getting directions. This feature has been tested exclusively in India. It also allows for users to choose to share a 'live trip' with family and friends and family.

Google has recently been updating Maps with a host of features including a speedometer and radar location support.

The company also launched three new public transport features that allow Google Map users in 10 of the largest cities in India to see bus travel times, get live train statuses, get a mixed-mode commute suggestion that now combine auto rickshaws and other public transport services.

Thoughts About The New Stay Safer Feature On Google Maps

This is great for folk who are in the process of getting familiar with a new city, or for those who know only parts of a city well. Google's new safety feature on their Maps application is a step up to make the country a safer place. Days where people lived in the same town or city that they grew up in, and working only during day light time are over. Most MNCs work 24 hours a day and some folk use their own transport. This feature definitely makes things easier for them. Good job Google!