Google pushes major new map developments

Looks like Google’s cartography department has been busy in the last little while. The internet giant today announced three new developments in its map products.

The first sees it rolling out turn-by-turn navigation in India. The voice-guided navigation product will be available across the country. Google says that navigation is one of its most requested features in the region and “can be especially helpful when driving in densely populated cities like Delhi or Bangalore”. It also said that it would be rolling out live traffic reporting for major roads in the country. That could be a potential boon in a country where “might is right” on the roads.

The second announcement sees it rolling out Biking directions and Map Maker in New Zealand. That means that cyclists in the country can access biking directions directly on Google Maps, and use Map Maker to add bike lanes and trails if their favorite route is missing or they discover a new one. Beyond biking trails, Map Maker can also be used to make the New Zealand map more accurate with details such as new road names, building footprints and more.

Finally, Google said it would be releasing new Street View imagery for more than 150 university campuses globally. That’s great news for anyone who’s a nerd for academic institutions or new students who might otherwise get lost. The universities include UCLA in the US, Pembroke College in the U.K., McGill University in Canada and Sophia University in Japan. The new images add to Google’s already extensive gallery of university images