Google: Google Maps immersive view is rolling out: What is it, how to use, availability and more

Google has announced that its AI-powered immersive view feature is now rolling out in select cities. The company previewed the feature at I/O 2022 and enables a more detailed use of Google Maps.
“Last year, we shared our vision for the future of Google Maps — an immersive, intuitive map that reimagines how you explore and navigate, while helping you make more sustainable choices. Today we’re demonstrating how AI is bringing this vision to life, with updates for immersive view and Live View, along with new features for electric vehicle (EV) drivers and people who walk, bike or ride public transit,” Google said in a blog post.

What is Google Maps immersive view
Google Maps immersive view feature uses AI and computer vision to fuse Street View and aerial images. This creates a rich, digital model of places and the added layers of information such as weather, traffic, and how busy a place is essentially makes it a holistic offering.
For example, if you are visiting Red Fort in Delhi and want to know the traffic status, the entry gate, peak hours, what the historic monument looks like and more, Google Maps’ immersive view will provide all the information and help you plan your trip.
There is also a time slider that allows users to see what the area looks like at different times of day. Red Fort also has scores of eateries in the vicinity so people can explore nearby restaurants before booking a reservation.

Google Maps’ immersive view availability in India
Immersive view is currently being rolled out in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo. And in the coming months, it will launch in more cities, including in Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence and Venice. There is no information on its India rollout so far.
How does Google Maps immersive view work?
To create true-to-life scenes, Google uses neural radiance fields (NeRF), an advanced AI technique that transforms ordinary pictures into 3D representations. As per the company, NeRF can accurately recreate the full context of a place, including its lighting, the texture of materials and what’s in the background.

Search with Live View
Google already announced its Search with Live View feature for AI-powered indoor and outdoor navigation. It allows users to help find things like ATMs, restaurants, parks and transit stations just by following AR-powered arrows. The service is live in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo. In the coming months, it will be expanded to Barcelona, Dublin and Madrid.
“Now, we’re embarking on the largest expansion of indoor Live View to date, bringing it to more than 1,000 new airports, train stations, and malls in Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Paris, Prague, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, and Taipei in the coming months,” the company said.