[blackwasp]

Finally some good news for Google Maps users. Now Google will allow people to add missing roads and new roads - eg some new flyovers, or connectors etc.

To help make Google Maps as accurate as they can be, Google needs to send cars around cities, the countryside, and more to gather data to ensure that Google Maps is kept as updated as possible. Obviously this wouldn’t be possible all the time as there might be changes that Google could miss or have gotten wrong.

Thankfully, instead of waiting for Google to fix it, the company has announced that users will soon be able to add their own data to Google Maps. According to Google, “We’ve made it easier for you to report road changes with a new, immersive desktop road editing tool. When you see a road missing on maps.google.com, simply click on the side menu button, go to “Edit the map”, and select “Missing Road.” Now the power to map is in your hands!”

Of course, Google isn’t letting everyone make these changes instantly and they state that they will vet the changes that users submit before applying them to Google Maps, but it will no doubt help make the platform more accurate and updated with any real-time changes. Google notes that the feature will be rolled out over the course of the coming months, so if you like the idea of being able to contribute to Google Maps, it could be something to keep an eye out for.

Source

[RavSam]

Originally Posted by blackwasp

Finally some good news for Google Maps users. Now Google will allow people to add missing roads and new roads - eg some new flyovers, or connectors etc.

Tried it. Doesn't let me draw yet. Let's see when and how they actually allow me to edit it.

Thanks for sharing the news!

[saikarthik]

Just checked on my device and I was able to edit a section of the road (didn't send). The UI is slightly difficult to draw exactly, but we will get used to it.

It will be really helpful considering a lot of illogical re-routes even if the road actually exists but just unknown/updated with huge delay by Google maps.

[haisaikat]

They should also allow to erase or mark a road unsuitable for 4 wheelers, otherwise no way to avoid going into those narrow lanes which gives you 1-2 minutes of advantage as compared to main stream roads but in turn increases your heart rate significantly. They already have a way to mark road closures and maintainance work.

But I wonder how would someone on the go, will feel tempted to propose a correction even if the option is there.

[gkveda]

I would rather be happy if I am given an option to mark wrong roads and narrow roads so that it wont suggest the same narrow roads while calculating the route map to others in future.

This will at least prevent some cars to go and stand in front of a river or lake and wonder where is the road ahead?

[sushantr5]

Though adding road through app may be the new thing but editing google maps was quite possible from my distant memory. It was named something like map maker. I have added lot of roads for my locality and my home town. It needed peer review and I was also reviewing lot of changes. Not only roads, you could create lot many things required for maps.

[RavSam]

Originally Posted by sushantr5

Though adding road through app may be the new thing but editing google maps was quite possible from my distant memory.

It was there. But then it was removed for some reason. I had outlined my building rather than just placing the marker like we do it right now.

[NaXal]

Maybe it's needed for developed countries, but for India, Google Maps & it's users desperately need a feature like Waze where road conditions can be updated along with actual size of the road.

Indian routes aren't just bikes vs cars. Here, some narrow roads may be suitable for Alto, but a full size sedan will have its worst nightmare. Similarly, some roads are so bad, larger offroad suitable vehicles may feel ok but low ground clearance vehicles may get stuck.

So road condition updates are one must-have & high demand feature for India.

Thanks

[libranof1987]

Given the notoriety Google Maps has earned in recent times for misleading/non-existent/outdated routes, this isn't exactly confidence inspiring. I don't know how Google Maps updates road conditions (eg. flyovers, one-way traffic and so on): whether they regularly monitor changes or take input from concerned authorities or rely only on user input but I wouldn't be comfortable with allowing all users to "draw" roads.

Reporting missing roads is extremely critical but adding new roads: risky!

[clevermax]

I've been an avid user of Google Map Maker in the past. I had managed to add several road segments in my city and elsewhere with that tool.

Those days I used to drive around through those roads which are not yet added to Google Maps and log the GPS coordinates using Google My maps application. Then I would export that as a KML file, and overlay that on Google Map Maker's view, and draw the road segments to the highest precision by following exactly the overlaid line.

The possibility of your edits getting published was dependent on how reputed were you as a contributor. Google had made changes even to those levels of recognition a couple of years ago. It was a demotion for me, now at level 7.



Unfortunately, Google killed Map maker but there was still an option in Google maps itself to let users add (draw point-by-point) road segments. I had added at least two road segments using that option in the Google maps app / Google maps desktop (browser) a few months ago.

This is not a completely new feature, isn't it?

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by clevermax

This is not a completely new feature, isn't it?

Yes, looks like Google revived the Map Maker feature to give feedback to the algorithms back at their servers. Not sure if the edits are automatic or will come into effect after the map contributors approve it, most likely the later.

I have made quite a few "edits" by the reporting feature and it got in effect to the maps. This includes changing road names, one ways, road closures, etc.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by RavSam

Tried it. Doesn't let me draw yet. Let's see when and how they actually allow me to edit it.

It does allow me. Probably because I had used map maker before and I have some history of correcting the map.

[RavSam]

Originally Posted by Samurai

It does allow me. Probably because I had used map maker before and I have some history of correcting the map.

Even I had used it before. I tried using it via desktop. It is app only for now?

[Samurai]

No, I am able to edit via desktop.

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by clevermax

I've been an avid user of Google Map Maker in the past.

Unfortunately, Google killed Map maker [u]

This is not a completely new feature, isn't it?

Originally Posted by bejoy

Yes, looks like Google revived the Map Maker feature

I have made quite a few "edits" by the reporting feature and it got in effect to the maps.

Yes, Google Map maker was quite a useful tool. When I had shifted house to a then undeveloped area of Bangalore in 2008, I had added many lanes and roads to G Maps which got approved. Nice hobby it was .