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Google Search and Maps upgrade for greener travel

Google declare on Monday updated its mapping and search products to help users find and choose transportation options that are more sustainable than gas-powered vehicles.

James Byers, Google Search Group Product Manager, said:

“We want people to have the right information to make more sustainable choices when it comes to travel and commuting.”

Environmentally friendly route suggestions

The smartphone displays Google Maps navigation centered on Paris, with several greener travel routes and estimated time to reach the destination marked on the screen.Screenshot from: blog.google/products/search/, April 2024.

If travel times are comparable, one of the main new features of Google Maps will be transportation and walking route suggestions alongside driving directions.

The update will be rolled out in more than 15 major cities around the world in the coming weeks, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Paris, Rome and Sydney.

Train and bus route information

A smartphone displays a Google search for green travel options for train tickets from Boston to Philadelphia, listing multiple travel options based on time and price.

Google is expanding its ability to find long-distance train and bus routes through search.

Users searching for queries such as “Boston to Philadelphia train” will see timetables, prices and direct links to book tickets on the results page.

Train route information will now be available for 38 countries, while long-distance bus routes will initially be added for 15 countries.

When users search for flights on Google’s dedicated flight tool, they will see train route suggestions as alternatives to applicable routes.

“So no matter where you start looking, it’s easy to find more sustainable options,” Byers said.

Highlight low-emission flights

If flying is still the best option, Google will show you the environmental impact.

Byers explained:

“These estimates are powered by the Travel Impact Model (TIM), a method we will publish in 2022 for predicting flight emissions per passenger.

To make this information more accessible, TIM estimates are now also available through a developer API, which allows any application or website to display flight emissions.

Google has also released a Google Sheets add-on and online calculator to make emissions estimates more widely available.

Looking to the future

While Byers acknowledged “there is still a long way to go when it comes to sustainable travel,” he expressed hope that “today’s update will provide more people with the information they need to choose low-carbon alternatives.”

These new capabilities come as consumers increasingly look for ways to make sustainable choices. By integrating these metrics into its flagship maps and travel tools, Google is pushing users to choose greener options.


Featured image: Screenshot from blog.google/products/search/, April 2024.

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