Google Maps Adds ‘Auto-Rickshaw’ Feature In Delhi For Easy Commutes
Google Maps adds a new feature that will provide information about auto-rickshaw routes and estimated fares for Delhi commuters.
Commuters in the national capital can now view "auto-rickshaw" routes as well as fares on Google Maps app, tech giant Google said on Monday.
"Starting today, commuters in Delhi will be able to see a new public transport mode in Google Maps—auto-rickshaws,” Google said in a statement. “By selecting this mode of transport, commuters will be able to view suggested routes for the ride as well as the estimated auto-rickshaw fares."
The new feature, it said, will reflect fares based on the official model shared by the Delhi Traffic Police. It will be available in the Google Maps app on Android-powered devices.
The idea is to incorporate one of the most commonly used modes of public transport in Google Maps and share transparent information about the price of journey, Google Maps Product Manager Vishal Dutta said.
"Currently, for an unfamiliar journey, commuters often overpay and don't have an idea about the distance or best route," he said, adding that the feature will also help the users plan their journey better.
"...so they could look at the expected cost of the auto-rickshaw ride and decide whether they want to take it all the way, or perhaps take a different mode of transport instead—like a bus or the metro," he explained.
Google Maps provides globally over a billion kilometers worth of transit results every day and has schedules for over three million public transit stops worldwide, the statement said.