Google has announced a feature update to its Google Maps App on Android phones in India. The feature labelled as “Stay Safer” allows users to get notifications and alerts every time a cab or an auto-rickshaw goes off-route.
Stay Safer will primarily alert and notify users traveling in taxis, auto-rickshaws when their vehicle goes off-route. The feature also allows users to share their live trip status with friends and family when travelling alone.
Google says the feature was developed after it found that a large number of people limit their mobility due to safety-related concerns. Stay Safer is just a means to give users a peace of mind when travelling in taxis and auto-rickshaws alone and for avoiding being taken through a longer route.
How to access Stay Safer?
Upon searching for a destination and getting a relevant direction, users will be greeted with a “Stay safer” button upon clicking which they can choose to tap on “Get off-route alerts”. This will notify if the driver deviates more than 0.5KM from the Google Maps suggested route at which time, the user’s phone will buzz with a notification.
Users can tap the notification to see where they are relative to the original route. They can also choose to share their live trip details with friends and family directly from that screen in order to keep track of the journey and take necessary action if required.
Speaking about the development, Google Maps Product Manager, Amanda Bishop 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 another India-first feature that will deliver a more relevant and reliable experience to our users. Our new ‘Stay Safer’ feature on Google Maps will alert users who are traveling in taxis, auto-rickshaws etc. in case their vehicle goes off route, giving them peace of mind. At Google Maps, we are committed to helping make journeys safe and hassle-free and look forward to bringing more experiences like this to India and beyond”.
Stay Safer will be available with the latest version of Google Maps on Android.