https://www.blog.google/products/maps/better-maps-for-people-with-vision-impairments/
Voice guidance in Maps, built for people with impaired vision
Wakana Sugiyama
Business Analyst, Online Partnerships Group
Published Oct 10, 2019
Think about the last time you walked to a new place. How many streets did you
cross to get there? Which intersections were the most complex? How did you
prepare before making a turn? And how did you know you weren’t lost?
Now think about making that same trip if you were one of the 36 million people
who are blind worldwide, or one of the 217 million people more who have
moderate-to-severe vision impairments.
As a legally blind woman living in Tokyo, I know that getting around unfamiliar
environments can be a challenge. I can easily commute from my front door to my
desk at work; it’s a trip I take regularly and know well. But going some place
new and unfamiliar can be an intimidating experience without sight to guide
you. In some cases, I’ll have a friend to join me on a trip, but in others I
may decide not to take the journey at all.
Detailed voice guidance in Google Maps helps people with visual impairments
Starting today, World Sight Day, Google Maps is rolling out a new feature that
gives people the ability to receive more detailed voice guidance and new types
of verbal announcements for walking trips. This feature is the first in Google
Maps to be built from the ground up by, and for, people with vision
impairments. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work closely with
the Maps team on this project as an early advisor and tester—outside of my day
job as a business analyst in the Tokyo office.
With this feature, I can navigate the streets of Tokyo with more comfort and
confidence. As I take my journey, Google Maps proactively lets me know that I’m
on the correct route, the distance until my next turn and the direction I’m
walking in. As I approach large intersections, I get a heads-up to cross with
added caution. And if I accidentally leave my route, I’ll get a spoken
notification that I'm being re-routed.
Frequent updates like these not only help a visually impaired person get from A
to B, they can also give us more confidence and reassurance when we travel
alone. With detailed voice guidance in Google Maps, my journey fades into the
background and I can focus more on what I’ll do at my final destination. This
may not sound extraordinary to those with sight, but for people who are blind
or have low vision, this can help us explore new and unfamiliar places.
(Versions of this video with full audio descriptions for people with vision
impairments are also available in English and Japanese.)
Building a more helpful Google Maps for everyone
I hope this new technology will give more people added confidence when
navigating unfamiliar routes--after all, building for everyone is core to our
work at Google.
While this new feature can be enormously helpful to people with visual
impairments, it can also help someone who wants a more screen-free experience
on their next walking trip. Similar to the announcements you might hear at
crosswalks or on a bus, everyone can benefit from it. Not everyone will need
this level of assistance, but it’s great to know it’s available and only a tap
away.
Detailed voice guidance for walking navigation starts rolling out today on
Android and iOS. Right now, it’s available in English in the United States and
Japanese in Japan, with support for additional languages and countries on the
way.
To turn the feature on, go to your Google Maps settings and select
“Navigation.” At the bottom of the list you'll find the option to enable
"Detailed voice guidance," beneath the “Walking options” heading.
Posted in:
Maps
Accessibility
Working at Google
David Goldfield
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.info
