Google Maps is great – unless it’s. Missing roads, incorrect street names, closed bridges and more can hinder your travels. And by “putting an obstacle in your travels,” I mean it will be it throws you into a blind rage as you step on the gas as you try to figure out where the hell to go when Maps leads you astray. But these frustrating inaccuracies are about to become less and less, thanks to a new function fueled by the crowd.
Google Maps launches the ability for users to “draw” missing roads and correct other details directly from Maps on desktop.
“Add missing roads by drawing lines, quickly rename roads, change the road directionality and realign or delete incorrect paths. You can even leave we know if a road is closed with details such as dates, reasons and directions “, Google wrote in a blog post on Thursday.
To make an edit, go to Maps in your browser and click the menu button in the upper left corner and scroll down to “Edit map”. From there, you will be able to draw on a missing road or make other changes. Of course, left unchecked this feature would be a nightmare that makes Maps quickly an unusable disaster. Therefore, before making changes, Google will review the changes or additions suggested by the user before implementing them in Maps.
G / O Media may receive a commission
The drawing function was not yet available when we tried to use it (you can already suggest edits, but the drawing is not there yet), but Google says it will be available in 80 countries in the next few months.
In addition to adding the drawing feature, Google also added the ability for people to add “photo updates” to their business.or other places separate from reviews. So, for example, if you’d like to let other people know that parking on a local route is large enough for two cars, you could take a photo and post it on Maps as a simple head-up. To access this feature, click a place and click the Updates tab, where you can find the option to upload a photo.
Navigation applications such as Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze (also owned by Google) remain one of the most useful types of applications, providing tangible value – while also swallowing our data to further strengthen corporate oversight embedded in contemporary life. But even if navigating the privacy implications feels like throwing your fist in a black room with these new updates, at least navigating the next road trip should be a little less affected.