Google Maps introduces AI-powered “Ask Maps” and enhanced immersive navigation

Google announced on Thursday that Google Maps is rolling out a Gemini-powered conversational feature called “Ask Maps,” along with a refreshed “Immersive Navigation” experience that adds a 3D view, richer road information, more natural voice guidance, and additional upgrades to the app.

The new Ask Maps feature allows users to pose complex, real-world questions in natural language, such as, “My phone is dying, where can I charge it without having to wait in a long line for coffee?” or “Is there a public tennis court with lights on that I can play at tonight?”

Google says the feature can also help people plan trips quickly. For instance, a user could ask, “I’m headed to the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Coral Dunes, any recommended stops along the way?” Maps would then return directions, ETAs, and tips from real users, such as how to locate a hidden trail or score a free entry ticket.

According to Google, Ask Maps personalises responses using signals such as places a user has searched for or saved to their account. So if someone asks something like, “My friends are coming from Midtown East to meet me after work. Any cosy spots with a table for four at 7 tonight?” Ask Maps may already understand that the user prefers vegan restaurants and recommend nearby places that also offer vegan options.

Ask Maps is now rolling out in the U.S. and India on both Android and iOS. Google said the feature will also arrive on desktops soon.

As for the updated Immersive Navigation experience, Google Maps is gaining a 3D view that reflects nearby buildings, overpasses, and terrain, similar to Apple Maps. The app will also emphasise road details such as lanes, crosswalks, traffic lights, and stop signs.

Beyond the visual changes, Maps is also gaining more functionality to inform drivers better while they are on the road.

Maps now gives drivers a wider, more useful view of their route through smart zooms and transparent buildings, helping them see farther ahead and prepare earlier for tricky turns and lane changes.

Google has also updated Maps’ voice guidance to sound more natural. For example, if a driver needs to exit a highway at two exits, Maps may now say something like, “Go past this exit and take the next one for Illinois 43 South.”

Maps will also now spell out the trade-offs between alternate routes, such as whether one option is longer but has less traffic, or whether another is faster but includes a toll. The app will also alert users to real-time disruptions along the route, including road construction and crashes. These features will draw on data from both the Google Maps and Waze communities.

Google also said that before users head to a destination, they will be able to preview the destination and the surrounding area using Street View imagery and get parking suggestions. As they get closer, Maps will highlight the building entrance, nearby parking, and the correct side of the street to be on.

“Our team set out to redesign the driving experience to take the guesswork out of trips,” Miriam Daniel, VP of Google Maps, said in a briefing with reporters. “Immersive navigation is a complete transformation of the navigation experience. It’s got redesigned visuals, fresh real-world information that’s brought to you just in time, and more intuitive guidance.”

Immersive Navigation begins rolling out across the U.S. today, with broader availability expanding over the next few months to eligible Android and iOS devices, as well as CarPlay, Android Auto, and vehicles with Google built-in.

Thursday’s announcement comes after Google integrated Gemini into Maps late last year, enabling the AI assistant to answer questions about places along a route, provide information on topics such as sports or news, and add events to a calendar. The company also began using Gemini with Street View to improve navigation directions by referencing nearby landmarks such as gas stations, restaurants, and notable buildings rather than relying solely on distances.