MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Diya TV) — Google Maps has been around for the better part of the last decade, but the application now understands and offers turn-by-turn directions in Hindi.
Sanket Gupta, product manager of Google Maps, said India is in the company’s focus area and maps are no different.
“In the last ten years, we have made a lot of progress,” said Gupta. “Maps are ever changing and our vision is to create comprehensive, accurate and reliable maps for everyone across the world.”
Mapping India is a tricky task since the country has a minimally established map culture. Even today, several dark spots remain on satellite maps India is represented in, and the country is yet to clear permission for the services of Google Street View. Gupta said this isn’t out of stubbornness, but because the country already has a system in place that’s been used for generations.
“In India, we use landmark-based directions, as not all streets have names and there is also a lack of signboards. In the absence of signboards, Google Maps offers these local landmarks for users to understand where they are,” he said.
The next time you hop into your Uber or a taxi, you might notice your driver have their eyes fixated on not only the road, but also their Google Maps application to aid in navigation. Google recognizes that most of the world’s drivers may not speak English, and sought to make their days a bit easier, Gupta said.
“Not everyone speaks in English and that is why we have voice search as well as directions in Hindi.”
