Google Maps started providing food delivery services last month, and it is now expanding its traffic features to display practical traffic information for drivers, helping the company enter the food-deliver industry and enhance user experiences.
Google’s First Step to Entering Meal Delivery Industry
Google Maps launched a new feature of food delivery by cooperating with other food-delivery platforms including DoorDash, Postmates, Delivery.com, Slice, and ChowNow, since it has yet operated its own team for delivering meals.
Service of food delivery is now available in the United States only. To access the meal delivery via Google Maps, Users can search their favour restaurant on the application and click on the ‘Order Online’ button, then select whether to pick up themselves. All fees are able to be paid by Google Pay.
Google said, they are willing to cooperate with more food-delivery platforms and they expect the services will be available in more countries or regions.
Google Maps Updates New Traffic Features to Benefits Users Who Drive
Apart from the food delivery services, Google Maps is rolling out an optional speedometer which allows users to keep an eye on their speed alongside local speed limit. This feature is efficient to remind drivers not to violate the local traffic rules.
If users turned on the speedometer, the app will tell users by changing the colours of the speed numbers from black to orange or red.
Google reaffirms that the real-time speedometer is ‘only for reference’; drivers should keep understanding the local traffic rules when they are travelling in the city.
Google Improves SOS Alerts to Visualize Natural Disasters
SOS Alerts, which aim to make emergency information more accessible during a natural or human-caused crisis, was updated with visualization of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, storms and floods, as well as pointing out the escape route.
After all-rounded update of the SOS Alerts, the app will provide more real-time info about disasters, news reports, as well as the social networks and contact numbers of the emergency response centre.
Also, the app also will also show the affected area by the visual overlay. Storm track and time of arrival will be displayed when storms came; epicentre and scale of earthquakes will be revealed when earthquakes happened; affected areas in expectation and how depth the water would be will be shown when flooded.