Google Maps turns 20, adds AI features, new countries to beat Apple

Twenty years ago, Google co-founder Larry Page He had an idea that would forever change the way we navigate the world.

“Larry drove down some of these streets with a video camera and handed it to someone and said, ‘Hey, what can you do with this?’ .

In a car equipped with the latest Street View camera, Biggs took CNBC for a ride near Google’s Silicon Valley headquarters. First introduced in 2022, this is the first camera model that can be attached to any vehicle instead of being mounted on the vehicle.

“We’re going to Hawaii with these next-generation camera systems because we don’t have to ship the whole car,” Biggs said. “We can just box up the camera system and ship it over there, and we can rent the car while we’re there.”

Biggs said the new technology will allow Google to update data in some locations for the first time in 10 years.

“We will be able to easily move these cameras around and get more freshness in our maps,” he said.

With more 2 billion monthly usersGoogle Maps is the world top navigation software. As Maps approaches its 20th anniversary in February, Google is working hard to maintain that lead with the help of new cameras and also generative artificial intelligence.

More flexible cameras allow Google to make updates in dozens of countries. It also maps at least three new ones – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Namibia and Liechtenstein. Street View cameras are an important part of Google’s data collection for Maps, but it also relies on satellite and aerial imagery and data from more than 1,000 third-party sources, such as local governments and users. That massive data collection system allows Google to offer maps in more than 250 countries and territories.

Gemini also powers voice-activated reporting on Google’s 2013 acquisition of Waze for $1.3 billion. This data is fed into Google Maps to alert drivers of hazards in both apps in real-time.

“We hope our products help people navigate more confidently and safely,” said Chris Phillips, vice president and general manager of Google Geo, which powers maps. Waze also “helps improve road safety by letting people know that a particular street has had problems in the past, and we’ve seen a noticeable change in people’s behavior when driving on those streets,” he said.

Waze is also known for offering alternative routes.

“We’re going to give you more provocative maneuvers along the way,” Phillips said, when it comes to “dodging and swerving around traffic.”

But there are alternative ways traffic deterioration In some neighborhoods, minor roads may be ill-equipped to handle large numbers of vehicles.

Google only uses public roads and works with local authorities to enforce regulations for specific streets, Phillips said.

“The use of these navigation apps, whether on in-dash or smartphone devices, is almost universal,” said James Hodgson, who covers automotive for ABI Research.

One of the challenges right now is user-to-user technology, Hodgson said. “We’re getting to a point where we need to have a broader, almost fleet-wide view” to improve efficiency, he said.

According to Hodgson, the main “perceptual barrier” Google faces is around data privacy.

Identifying information such as faces and license plates are blacked out in Google Maps, and users can do so request area dimming in Street View to prevent the risk of thieves scanning your property.

Users can also turn off location history or delete their locations. certain places like abortion clinics or domestic violence shelters is automatically deleted. In December, Google began storing location history on devices not in the cloud makes it even more difficult for authorities can access location history.

How much Google spends and earns on Maps is private. Parent company Alphabet doesn’t hack Maps in-house earnings reports, integrate it with other services like Search and YouTube. One of the only estimates is for 2019 Morgan Stanley The report predicts that Maps will grow from $2.95 billion in 2019 to $11 billion in 2023.

Revenue is largely based on a model Google knows well: advertising.

“We always focus on giving people the result that most accurately matches what they’re looking for when they’re looking for a restaurant or place,” Phillips said. “And merchants have the ability to actually pay for advertising to appear on that list.”

Google also makes money by selling a software interface with detailed information solar companies are looking for new customers. It has high-precision roof images, measurements, elevations and shadows for nearly 480 million buildings in 40 countries.

Google sells its access Maps Platform to companies, including Wayfair and Dominoes. Developers have used it to build more than 10 million sites and apps for things like food delivery, ridesharing and real estate. For example, in 2019 Uber he said He paid 58 million dollars to Google due to mapping technology during the previous three years.

Google’s Android Automotive operating systemIt also earns money with Maps. It powers the infotainment systems in many cars Polestar, Volvo, Honda, GM and Ford.

As robotaxis become more widespread, accurate mapping is critical and a huge opportunity for Google.

Waymo owned by Alphabet The US dominated the robotics market It’s 2024 and passengers in Phoenix can hail one of the fully autonomous cars right from the Google Maps app. Robotaxis also offers the potential for a virtuous cycle.

“I think the ambition for Waymo, and what we’re seeing from almost every other autonomous vehicle platform provider, is to try to close that loop and use the same vehicles that benefit from the map to contribute to the creation of that map,” Hodgson said. “This is the future of mapping for autonomous driving.”

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