Over the last year or two, we’ve seen Google add feature after feature to Google Maps. Some have commented questioning if there’s anything else that Google could really do. They offer standard features like the option to get driving directions or search for businesses and attractions, but they also offer Street View and Traffic modes along with satellite imagery. You can also view photos on the map (thanks to Panoramio) and Wikipedia entries, and get public transit information as well. We’ve just touched the surface on the all of the features that they offer, so what could they possibly be thinking of and working on next? Walking directions.
The Google Operating System Blog was the first to point out this walking directions feature. It appears as though Google is just allowing a handful of people to test it, and it’s probably a small number of people because not many have said that they have access to it yet. There’s no word on which cities this is available in either, but below is a screenshot which gives us an idea of what it looks like:
Notice that they point out that the walking direction are in beta. They also caution about walking in unfamiliar areas. I guess they want to make sure they cover themselves against any possible lawsuits from people walking into bad areas of town. One of the commenters on the Google Operating System Blog noted that when they tried it in New York, it had him walking through buildings. Another questioned whether or not the system is smart enough to have someone walk on paths through parks when available and avoid non-walkable areas like tunnels.
Clearly Google doesn’t have its walking directions perfected quite yet, but there’s definitely potential. Remember, chances are, you probably won’t have this feature available to you quite yet.
Enjoyed the post? Subscribe to our feed to get a daily dose of CyberNet!
Related Posts:
- Google Walking Directions are Live
- Google Maps Gets A Makeover
- Google Maps gets "Avoid Highways" Feature
- Putting Yahoo! Maps On Your Ipod With iPodiWay
- Google Maps Gets Yahoo’s Dynamic Movement Feature
This is pretty nice. During a conference we had to walk a route plotted over highways
Of course we found a better route for walking, but it would have been nice if Google could have kept in mind that we had to walk 
Would be even better if they will also start offering these routes for hikers/hikers’ paths!
Pardon my ignorance but I’m not in the US. What are bad areas of town?
And maybe bikers too? (pedal bikes, not motorcycles)
Not all towns or cities have bad areas, but Chicago, for example, has a few areas that some would consider un-safe. In Chicago it’s the “southside” where there is a lot of crime and gangs.
Ooh yes, indeed also for cyclists! Hope they read this blog
Meaning there are criminal gangs there who can shoot you if you go there?
It’s not that it’s automatically going to happen if you venture in to a certain area of a city, it’s just that it’s not as safe as other areas.