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.
"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.
