A new feature has been added to Google Maps
Back in 2009 Google introduced turn-by-turn navigation on Google maps for cars then in 2009 walking directions were added. Now in 2012, Google has updated Google Maps to version 6.11.1 which gives users the option of bicycle route navigation.
This is a bonus for cyclists as they will now be able to view turn-by-turn directions on a live updating map. Once users have chosen their destination they can attach their phone onto the handle bars or they can listen to the spoken directions from the speaker or they can choose to pop in their headset.
Google says that its database now features over 330,000 miles of bicycle-friendly roads, which are marked by green lines on the map display, with more being added all the time. There will be different shades of green that determine the route. The dark-green lines indicate dedicated bike trials, the medium-green lines indicate bike lanes and the light-green lines indicate roads that are marked as bike friendly. The new feature also helps bicyclists to avoid steep hills.
Kai Hansen, Google Maps product manager said,
“We know how popular cycling is in many parts of the world, so we wanted to include as much bike trail data as possible to provide efficient routes, allow riders to customize their trips, make use of bike lanes, calculate rider-friendly routes that avoid big hills and busy roads, and to customize the look of the cycling map to encourage people to hop on their bikes”
Android users in the UK, US and 10 other countries can navigate around places using the new feature.
