Google Brings Gemini AI to Maps in India with Localised Navigation, Safety & Language Features

Google is rolling out its Gemini AI inside Google Maps in India and is introducing a suite of India-specific navigation and safety features, the company announced on Thursday.

The features include hands-free, conversational route help to road-hazard alerts, speed-limit displays and improved flyover guidance. The upgrades, already launched in the US, will reach Android and iOS users in India over the coming weeks and will support nine Indian languages at launch.

Gemini brings conversational, context-aware assistance into Maps. Users will be able to ask questions and get proactive, relevant suggestions while navigating without stopping to type.

Google said adapting Gemini for India required extensive localisation beyond language, including how people ask for places, local place names, geopolitical labels and the conversational styles Indians use. The company said the feature will be available to all Maps users on Android and iOS in India in the coming weeks.

New Road-Safety & Disruption Alerts

Google is adding safety-focused alerts for drivers passing accident-prone stretches and will surface near-real-time notifications about road closures, diversions and repair work.

Those accident-zone alerts will first roll out to Android users in Gurugram, the Cyberabad region of Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Faridabad.

Separately, proactive disruption alerts, which notify users of major delays on routes even when they are not actively navigating, are being introduced for highways and major roads in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Partnerships to Improve Accuracy

To strengthen real-time accuracy, Google said it has partnered with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ingest near-real-time data on highway conditions and to display wayside amenities such as restrooms, fuel stations and food options along national routes. Google framed the partnerships as part of a broader effort to reduce inaccuracies that have previously led to safety concerns in India.

Maps will start showing speed limits during navigation in nine Indian cities, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Hyderabad (including Cyberabad), Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Noida, on Android and iOS.

Voice support for flyovers, an India-first feature introduced last year, is being expanded so drivers receive audio callouts for elevated ramps and complex junctions. Google also said it is introducing a range of updates for two-wheeler riders, four-wheeler drivers and metro commuters to better reflect India’s mix of transport modes.

Concerns & Availability

Google acknowledged the limits of map data in fast-changing real-world conditions and repeated its safety advice that drivers must keep their eyes on the road.

The company’s emphasis on local partnerships and community contributions follows high-profile incidents in India that highlighted the consequences of routing errors, and Google said millions of local edits from India’s Maps community help it push millions of map updates daily.

Google said the features will roll out progressively over the coming weeks; Gemini in Maps will reach all Android and iOS users in India and initial safety and routing updates will appear first in the cities and regions named above. The company did not give a specific calendar for full nationwide availability.