“At Google, we know that the future of the internet is in the hands of the next billion users,” Google Indonesia managing director Tony Keugsen said. “They’re changing the internet in two key ways. First, they’re approaching the internet with a mobile-only mind-set. Second, they demand localized content.”

He added the new feature was the next step for Google Maps to customize its content for Indonesian users, after previously adding real-time information for commuter train and Transjakarta bus schedules.

According to Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data, there are over 105 million motorcycles registered in Indonesia in 2016, making up 81 percent of the 129.3 million motor vehicles in the country.

The new feature, which is already available as an update to the existing Google Maps app, identifies routes that are specifically adapted for two-wheeled vehicles, utilizing small alleys that may not be accessible to cars and avoiding car-only roads like toll roads.

“What works for cars does not work for motorcycles,” Google Maps group manager Krish Vitaldevara said. “We constantly heard from motorcycle riders that they care about shortcuts, they want to find narrow roads and alleyways.”

In response to the feedback, Vitaldevara said Google Maps added 29,000 two-wheeler friendly roads, incorporating 3,000 kilometers of new roads and identified 10,000 road segments where cars are allowed while motorcycles are not.

In addition to the new roads, the motorcycle routes also include landmarks to guide drivers and enable them to memorize the route to their destination before setting out.

Landmark-based navigation could also improve safety, Vitaldevara added, as drivers could avoid checking the app while on the road. The Jakarta Police have also recently cracked down on mobile phone usage while driving.

Vitaldevara said his team had collected ride data from tens of thousands of motorcyclists and interviewed hundreds more during the feature’s 12-month development period.

“We also took a look at Google Street View and our other tools to check whether the roads were suitable for two-wheelers or not,” he said. “We worked with agencies that have information about the roads, like toll roads, where two-wheelers are not allowed, so it took us a while to pull the whole thing together.”

Google Maps enterprise lead Vishal Goenka said the new feature would not only benefit consumers but businesses, especially ride-hailing services.

Goenka said the major ride-hailing apps have incorporated Google Maps API to perform tasks such as searching for the nearest available driver, and that the new motorcycle routes would help them enhance their services further.

“Drivers will be able to get to their destinations faster and complete more journeys every day,” he said. “This means a better experience for their customers, but also improved earnings for the drivers.”

Google invested a reported US$100 million in ride-hailing app Go-Jek earlier this year, but Google Maps vice president of product management Dane Glasgow denied the development of the new feature was related to the company’s new stake in Go-Jek.

“But we’re very excited about [the investment] and the fact that we can work with them more closely,” he said.

Besides the new motorcycle routes, Google Maps also launched two other new features for the Indonesian market, namely route adaptations for car-free days and the odd-even traffic policy.

Google Maps now incorporates the schedules and locations of car-free days in 30 cities across Indonesia and will point users to alternative routes accordingly. The app will also allow users to specify whether their license plate numbers are odd or even in order to avoid restricted roads. (kmt)

Popular

Government to permanently relocate 10,000 people after Ruang eruptions

Kokubo's injury time penalty save secures title for Japan

Residents fear for safety as Mount Ruang volcano erupts