Enhanced Google Maps, Lime Integration Sets Sight On Improving City Commutes
You might have noticed something new on your Google Maps lately – if you’re using an Android. Us iPhone junkies will have to wait a little bit longer to pinpoint available Lime scooters in Dallas and more than 100 cities around the world.
On Android devices, users will be able to see if a Lime vehicle is available, how long it’ll take to walk to the vehicle, a price estimate of the ride, battery range, along with total journey time and ETA in the Google Maps app.
iOS availability for this feature will launch in late August.
“This integration will help people in over 100 cities around the world unlock an even easier way to explore their cities and reduce commute times,” said Li Fan, chief technology officer and head of engineering at Lime.
“Here at Lime, we believe in the gift of time, and our scooters offer a convenient and fun way of getting around some of the most congested areas in the world. We’re excited that this partnership with Google Maps provides the opportunity for Lime to connect people to their destination faster.”
If available, users will see Lime vehicles as an option from their biking, walking, and transit tab if they’re traveling a relatively short distance that may also be accessible via scooter.
Google Maps will show information about the nearest Lime, such as: if a Lime vehicle is available, how long it’ll take to walk to the vehicle, an estimate of how much the ride will cost, battery range, total journey time and ETA.
Users can tap on a Lime in the Google Maps app, and Google Maps will show information about the selected vehicle.
Finally, Google Maps will show a walking route to the selected Lime vehicle and bicycling route for the rest of the journey in the biking tab.
“Whether you’re planning your daily commute or traveling to a new city, Google Maps is making it easier to weigh all your transportation options with real-time information,” said Vishal Dutta, Google Maps product manager. “In addition to showing you the best biking and transit route in Google Maps, you’ll now be able to see if Lime scooters or e-bikes are available, how long the trip will take, and the most efficient route to get there. From Stockholm to Sao Paulo, you can now use Google Maps to locate Lime scooters to get you to your destination.”
Lime scooters first surfaced in Google Maps in December 2018, and the two companies expanded the partnership to 80 more cities in March 2019.
