The two most widely used point-to-point maps and navigation apps come from the same company, but that doesn’t mean they stop competing: Google Maps and Waze are very different even if, in essence, They offer almost the same functions. And there is one aspect where until now the latter has beaten the former: group navigation. This is about to change.
Are you more of a Waze fan or do you prefer Google Maps when sitting in the car? When it comes to driving, there are usually two sides perfectly differentiated by their preferred navigation app, and both come from Google. Because Maps greatly improved with real-time data from Waze; while this one benefits from Google mapping and servers. This constant exchange will bring new changes.
Group navigation, a feature that would come to Google Maps in the future
In addition to hardware patents, in which each manufacturer registers the modifications it has developed for its devices, companies also ensure that the interfaces and functions of apps remain under their domain. Google Maps is one of these applications: According to a patent filed at the end of June, Google has obtained a means of balance the movements of several people so that everyone converges at the same point.
Imagine you’re planning a trip with several friends and each of them is going to leave with their car from a different location. With Google Maps, you can follow each other’s route, but you have to manually plan each intersection to meet on the way to your destination. This means calculate distances, routes, departure times…Well, Google Maps can do all that.
As discovered on Igilta.eu, Google has obtained a patent relating to group travel dated June 25. According to the said patent, filed in the United States, Google Maps will coordinate the movements of multiple users so you can reach the same destination together without having to plan anything manually.
Google Maps would take care of planning thanks to the company’s artificial intelligence. According to the patent, once the app detects that several friends want to go to the same place, Google Maps could offer a common route
- Google Maps reportedly offers to create a navigation group. The application will process the invitations and create the common group.
- Google Maps will coordinate the route in real timeYou will be able to reorganize the route if one of the participants gets ahead of you or you will even have the possibility of coordinating the stops to unify the routes.
- Google Maps will share traffic data with all users in the group.
- It will indicate in real time where each member of the group is.. Participants will know where others are going, what their routes and schedules are.
- Google Maps will enable voice chat so all participants can communicate with the group.
- Once the group reaches the destination, Google Maps will automatically disband it.
If you use Waze, you will have already noticed that there are many similarities with this Google Maps patent: its group navigation shares participants’ locations, allows for communication, and offers up-to-date traffic information. However, Maps goes further with proactive coordination and better route suggestionsall thanks to Google AI.
Google has been granted the patent for grouped navigation, but that doesn’t mean the app is coming soon: there’s probably still time.
As patented as it is, it’s not entirely clear that Google Maps will introduce group navigation anytime soon, but it will surely adapt the feature eventually. Whether the AI’s features are complete or limited remains to be seen: what is clear is that Google wants to close the gap between Maps and WazeChoosing one or the other will more than ever be a matter of taste.
Cover Image | Edited mid-term
More information | United States Patent Office
By | Igilta.eu
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