Wakana Sugiyama tests Google Maps’ walking assistance on the streets of Tokyo

Tech giant Google has introduced better voice guidance on its popular Maps app to help visually impaired users.

Launched on World Sight Day, 10 October, Google said it’s the first Maps app feature to be built from the ground up by, and for, people with limited vision.

The new feature proactively tells users when they’re on the correct route, providing distances to turns, confirming directions and issuing warnings when approaching intersections. The feature is currently available in English and Japanese with other languages in the pipeline.