Google Maps Launches Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation with Gemini

Google

Mar 18, 2026 · Updated Apr 25, 2026

Google Maps launches two Gemini-powered features — Ask Maps for conversational place discovery and Immersive Navigation for a driving overhaul. Ask Maps pulls from 300 million places and 500 million contributors. Both are rolling out now in the U.S.

Google Maps launches Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation, both Gemini-powered. Ask Maps answers open-ended place questions conversationally — "Is there a public tennis court with lights on tonight?" — drawing on 300 million places and 500 million contributors, personalized to your search history. Immersive Navigation adds 3D views from Street View imagery, natural voice guidance, alternate route tradeoffs (toll vs. traffic), and destination previews with parking guidance.

This is Maps' biggest navigation update in over a decade. Ask Maps shifts place discovery from keyword search to open-ended conversation — describe the vibe, not a search term. Immersive Navigation goes beyond turn-by-turn: real-time tradeoffs, disruption alerts, and destination previews in one experience.

Ask Maps is rolling out now in the U.S. and India on Android and iOS, with desktop coming soon. Immersive Navigation starts rolling out across U.S. devices today, with expansion to CarPlay, Android Auto, and Google built-in to follow.

View the full update on blog.google

Google AI

@GoogleAIMar 13

We’ve reimagined the way our Gemini models power @GoogleMaps. Here are some use cases you can try (and the advancements that make them possible): “Find a well-lit pickleball court that’s usually less busy on Tuesday nights” ➡️ Maps performs multi-step reasoning across 300M+ community-shared photos and reviews to find the exact vibe and place you’re looking for “We’re driving from San Francisco to Big Sur, plan the quickest route for me to drive there that avoids tolls and has a highly-rated coffee shop along the way” ➡️ The app synthesizes live geospatial data (traffic, weather, etc.) into insights that can inform your timely decisions, and visualizes the best way to get you there “Take the places on my 'Austin' list and plan out an itinerary for my weekend trip. I want to eat the best beef brisket, see some nature, and go two-stepping” ➡️ Maps now connects your saved favorites and search history with community feedback left on the app to predict what you’ll need for your next adventure

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