Google Maps Gaining Tools for Drawing Missing Roads, Sharing Photo Updates - MacRumors
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Google Maps Gaining Tools for Drawing Missing Roads, Sharing Photo Updates

Google today announced a number of improvements that are coming to the Google Maps app in the near future, including a tool that makes it easier to highlight missing roads and transportation errors.


There's a new road editing tool available on the desktop, accessible by going to maps.google.com. Users can click on the side menu button and select the "Edit the map" option to get to the a "Missing Road" entry.

Choosing the Missing Road option lets users add missing roads by drawing lines, which is an upgrade from the prior tool that was pin based. Users could drop a pin where there was an error, but the new road drawing tool allows for better accuracy.

In addition to drawing lines to add missing roads, the tool lets users rename roads, change the direction of a road, and realign or delete incorrect roads. There are also tools for informing Google about road closures with specific dates, reasons, and routes.

Google is vetting all contributed road updates before publishing them to maps. The new editing feature is rolling out over the coming months to more than 80 countries.

Along with new road editing tools, Google is adding a photos update option to Google Maps. In the coming weeks, Google plans to add a tool that will let users "share experiences and highlights" with their recent photos.

google photo updates
Photo updates can be added by going to the "Updates" tab when viewing a specific place in Google Maps and tapping the "upload a photo update" button. The tool will also display photos shared by others.

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Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ Avatar
74 months ago
Wonderful! Hopefully this does not happen again.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Scrip Avatar
74 months ago

In addition to drawing lines to add missing roads, the tool lets users rename roads, change the direction of a road, and realign or delete incorrect roads.
Good!

For some reason... Google thinks my neighbor's driveway is a road.

This house has been here for over 30 years... but only recently Google has upgraded his driveway to a road. And it's annoying to see it every time I open Maps.

🤣



Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeadingHeat Avatar
74 months ago
This is a pretty nice feature. I hope Apple implements something similar soon. Competition is great for consumers! (in most cases)

We have good progress with the traffic/construction/speed trap updates coming, so seems like we’re going in the right direction.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThisBougieLife Avatar
74 months ago
As a lover of maps, I'm always glad to see more ways we can contribute to their improvement. I reported an error on Google Maps and they changed it fairly quickly. (They had labeled a local road "Cherry Ave." instead of "Cherry St." I hope someone got fired for that blunder). :p
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Everett96 Avatar
74 months ago
I think the one issue is that people who's job it is to make these maps are having their job done for free by volunteers. They're improving their products with free labor.

Most people probably won't see that as an issue, and I'm not even really sure it's an issue though. 🤷🏽‍♂️
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
one more Avatar
74 months ago
Another good one from Google, hopefully Apple will follow up with something similar. 🖐
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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