Google Maps adds "last mile" recommendations to directions
Google Maps has always done a pretty good job of giving you a broad idea of how to get from A to B. The problem is that if you live in C, there may be quite a walk after you go off the public transport grid.
Now Google thinks it has the answer to this with a new addition called "last mile".
"Say you're taking the subway home from a friend's house, but your apartment is a bit too far from the station to get to on foot," writes Vishal Dutta, product manager for Google Maps in the company blog. "Catching a ridesharing vehicle can help you travel that short distance quickly.
"Or, you're headed to work at the peak of the busy back-to-school season so you need to ride your bike to the nearest bus stop to make that important 9 a.m. meeting on time."
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Yes, in short, Google Maps will be adding a variety of ridesharing and cycling options paired with the regular transport tips it gives for buses, trains and trams. You can choose your favourite ridesharing provider, so you can ignore Lyft if you're an Uber diehard - and Maps will also draw in other useful information, like how much the ride will cost, how long the wait is likely to be and how much traffic there is.
For cyclists, routes tailored for bikes will be added, alongside the public transport part of the journey, with all factors coming into play with the total journey time and ETA.
The feature will be rolling out "in the coming weeks" on Android and iOS in 30 countries. Unfortunately, Google won't be drawn on which countries just yet, but you'd imagine it would closely correlate to those that have a healthy ridesharing ecosystem in place.
Does this feature massively improve Google Maps, or does it just clutter things up? Let us know what you think on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
