Google Maps is adding transit crowd predictions covering 10,000 transit systems in 100 countries. The transit predictions are based on AI technology, user feedback and location trends over time, the search giant said Wednesday. And in New York and Sydney, the crowdedness indicator is even at a car-by-car level — so you’ll have an idea of which parts of the train to avoid.
“It’s no surprise that transit ridership took a drastic plunge during the early days of the pandemic. While people are returning to public transit — with transit directions on Maps increasing 50% compared to last year in the U.S. — safety remains top of mind,” said Eric Tholomé, director of product for Google Maps.
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Google said privacy and security remain a priority and that the Maps update will use anonymization technology and differential privacy to keep your location history private.
The Maps update can also give Android users a timeline and traveling trends based on their location history. Users will be able to see how much time is spent at their favorite shops and which modes of transportation are used most. Google Maps also lets you relive trips by saving the places from the timeline and sharing them with friends.
These features are available now with the latest Google Maps update on Android and iOS.
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