Uber appears to be working on an augmented reality walking directions feature designed to help Uber users find the appropriate vehicle and driver in a crowded area. Mentions of augmented reality function were discovered in the Uber iOS app code by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
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"Tap to enter AR walking experience," reads the code, which also includes these snippets that give hints on how the AR directions work:
- AR only available on iOS 11 and above.
- Walk outside
- Tilt camera up
- Pan your camera
- Ready, set, walk
- AR walking only works when you're outdoors
- Align arrows
- Be Careful and stay alert of your surroundings.
- Make sure you're outside and facing the street.
- Using some GPS sauce. Hold on.
Uber in 2018 patented an augmented reality assisted pickup feature that matches a rider with an available driver and helps them meet up through an augmented reality control module that directs the passenger through the camera app, and it appears the feature could soon be on its way to being deployed.
Uber patented using Augment Reality to help users identify drivers in 2019 and now it looks like they are working on it in their app. “Tap to enter AR walking experience” Cc @JaceDeloney https://t.co/hH3MV8tBOx pic.twitter.com/zbukkVjjOl — Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) March 30, 2021
There is no word on when Uber's augmented reality assisted walking feature might debut, and the company has made no formal announcement at this time. Other apps like Google Maps also offer augmented reality walking directions that overlay directional arrows on the real-world view seen through the camera.
Top Rated Comments
It was absolute panic and sensory overload trying to find my Uber in the busy street among hundreds of similar cars. Juggling between the driver screaming at me over the phone in a thick accent and trying to find him on the GPS. Darted three blocks trying to find him before he hung up and cancelled the ride. In the process of wandering around to find a calmer spot to try again, I'd somehow gotten myself into a notoriously dangerous district. I only found out where I was when the next driver was concerned as to what a lone teenager was doing there.
I don't know how this feature would play out real-world, but if it works, it could save others from going through what I did. Situations like that also taught me the value of a small/one-handed phone, so I could hold mace in my offhand..
One time, I made the mistake of ordering one near a 6-way intersection in SF. I thought standing somewhat down the street would've helped, but no. Driver stopped on the opposite side of the intersection and put on blinkers. When I finally realized and jay-ran across three red lights, he gave up and started driving away. AND marked me as being in the car. I chased the car down a crowded street, and eventually the jerk (well, I guess not a total jerk) let me in.
After using it for so long I kind of don't understand why they don't make their app to work with AppleCar and Android Auto. There's a lot of drivers with these options in their cars. The drivers always have to mount their phone on the dashboard and interact with the phone.