Google today added a new Plus Codes feature to Google Maps. The new feature uses machine learning to shorten addresses and offer an alternate smart address for convenient search and navigation with Maps and Search.
Plus Codes are basically an open sourced solution that represents an easy to understand addressing system that works at any part of the world. It allocates address based on dividing the geographical surface into tiny 'tiled areas’, attributing a unique code to each of them.
A Plus Code comprises of 6 alphanumeric characters followed by the name of the city. For instance, ‘8F8M+JM’ is the code for Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. So if you put this code in either Maps or Google search, you will be able to find the exact location. Similarly, every user can generate a code for a specific area from the Google Maps app or web.
This feature is useful for providing an identifiable location for complicated addresses, guiding emergency services to afflicted locations and more such cases.
To facilitate accurate and easy searching on Maps, Google has now introduced new 'Add an Address’, which enables users to contribute to Maps. This is similar to adding businesses where any missing address can be added, which is then verified by a Google team before it appears on the map.
Aside from the new features, Google Maps also enabled voice navigation in six new regional languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam.
