Google debuted a new "two-wheeler" mode for Google Maps on Tuesday as part of its Google India media event in New Delhi. The biker-based feature joins the existing driving, walking, and public transit modes for Google Maps users in India looking for the fastest possible directions to their intended destination.

collage 120517013149

Image via India Today

The new mode for motorcycle and scooter users shows trip routes that use "shortcuts" not accessible to other vehicles, and provides customized traffic and arrival time estimates.

The two-wheeler mode also shows major landmarks along the planned route to help riders who rely on them for navigation, as is often the case in India.


Like offline maps when they first launched, the two-wheeler mode for Google Maps is only available in India to begin with, but Google says the feature will roll out to more countries in the coming months. It's unclear at present where "two-wheeler" mode will sit in relation to Google Maps' existing cycling directions, but rider safety, speed, and designated routes are sure to differ.

Top Rated Comments

MH01 Avatar
93 months ago
That's kinda cool - though bikes can go places cars cannot, they are suppose to follow exactly the same road rules .

In boring western countries anyway .

To be fair - when I was in India , the concept of lanes, traffic etc was governed by the horn .... its be best example I've ever seen of organised chaos ... and if you can drive in India , you can drive anywhere :)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haruhiko Avatar
93 months ago
In this sense, they can also release a GTA mode for 4-or-more-wheel vehicles which doesn't have to follow any traffic rules and regulations.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aperantos Avatar
93 months ago
That's kinda cool - though bikes can go places cars cannot, they are suppose to follow exactly the same road rules .

In boring western countries anyway .
Not necessarily in the U.K. where in many places bikes are allowed in bus lanes. This can be especially useful on one-way streets with contraflow bus lanes. A good example of this is Reading where Google Maps will try and force you around the one-way system needlessly as it does not know the difference.

And important for navigation purposes is that filtering (lane splitting) is legal here, so when a road is so congested that a navigation service would want to reroute cars, it could still be the better option for bikes. Especially if the systern takes account of lane widths to know which this are more filtering friendly.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gasu E. Avatar
93 months ago
What's it like riding a bike in traffic while trying to listen to voice directions?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mistasopz Avatar
93 months ago
Apple maps was always light years beyond google maps and the gap continues to widen.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Wednesday January 15, 2025 7:16 am PST by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the "ultra-thin" device. Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Due to its thinness, the device is expected to have some limited specifications compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, only a single speaker, no SIM...
new magsafe charger

Apple Releases Updated MagSafe Charger Firmware

Tuesday January 14, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the 25W MagSafe Charger that is compatible with the iPhone 12 and later and the latest AirPods and Apple Watch models. The updated firmware is version 2A143, up from the 2A138 firmware that the accessory shipped with. In the Settings app, you'll see a different version number than the internal firmware number. The 2024 MagSafe charger was...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.3 Coming Soon: Here's What's New

Monday January 13, 2025 5:33 am PST by
iOS 18.3 is currently in beta for developers and public beta testers. So far, the upcoming iPhone software update is very minor in scope. Below, we outline what is new in iOS 18.3 so far. The only potential new feature coming to iPhones with iOS 18.3 so far is robot vacuum support in the Home app, but this functionality is not yet live. Apple is laying the groundwork for the feature,...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 8 New Features

Thursday January 9, 2025 5:45 am PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025: More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
severance new york promo 1

Apple Promotes Severance Season 2 Premiere With Lumon Industries Pop-Up and Visits From Actors

Tuesday January 14, 2025 3:47 pm PST by
Ahead of the season two premiere of hit TV show Severance, Apple is marketing the show with a fun Severance pop-up at the Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Apple has assembled a glass cube with workstations that are identical to the setups that Lumon employees use on the show, complete with employees "working," doing yoga, playing catch, throwing paper airplanes, sipping coffee, and...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected This Year: Here's What We Know

Wednesday January 8, 2025 7:05 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...
MacBook Air 15 Inch Feature Blue

MacBook Air Likely Apple's First Product Update of 2025: What to Expect

Wednesday January 15, 2025 8:49 am PST by
There is a good chance that Apple's first product announcement of 2025 will be updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M4 chip. Last month, Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.2, and in doing so it accidentally confirmed new MacBook Air models are coming this year (unsurprisingly). Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the new MacBook Air models will be announced "earlier" than some...