My Travel Companion, and how I would like it to be

Google Maps tips & tricks
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Hi everyone!

I’ve been working on this post for a while, following a series of preparatory topics where I focused on unintentional errors in our contributions—mistakes made while thinking we were providing the best and most useful help to Google Maps.

My goal was to write a concluding post (this one!) addressed not only to Local Guides but also, and especially, to Google Maps itself. I was missing one final element to tie it all together… then, a month ago, that element arrived.

Caption: A Google bicycle parked next to one of Google's offices in Mountain View. At the top, the topic title and the note "A brief analysis of the evolution of AI in Google Maps."
Caption: A Google bicycle parked next to one of Google's offices in Mountain View. At the top, the topic title and the note "A brief analysis of the evolution of AI in Google Maps."1920×1080 701 KB

One of my travel companions is retiring

It happened about a month ago: my tireless travel companion—the car I’ve driven for hundreds of thousands of kilometers over the last ten years—let me know it was time to retire. I had to agree, and so here I am with a new car.

My collaboration with Google Maps was born and raised with my old car; our stories are deeply intertwined. Here we are, traveling together through the areas affected by the 2016 earthquake in Italy (Umbria and Marche), which is the very reason I became a Local Guide in the first place.

My new travel companion

My new travel companion is very different. Technology has evolved tremendously, and this companion is incredibly reassuring. On one hand, it’s teaching me to respect the rules more; on the other, it says: “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

It detects road signs (especially speed limits), ensures I stay in the center of the lane, and warns me if I don’t. It even helps avoid collisions.

  • It’s reassuring: Speed limits are always displayed right in front of me. If I change lanes without using my turn signal, the steering wheel vibrates as if to ask: “Are you distracted, or did you really mean to do that?” If an obstacle appears and I don’t brake immediately, the car does it for me.
  • It’s educational: Maybe it’s just to avoid the vibration in the steering wheel, but now I always use my indicators. I keep a safer distance from the car in front of me and pay much closer attention to speed limits.
  • But it makes me lazier: Why should I worry about paying attention if my car does it for me?

My other travel companion: Google Maps

My other travel companion has also evolved over the years. I really enjoy driving while chatting with Gemini, who always provides useful information about the places I’m passing through. It gives me prompts on what to contribute, which photos to upload, and which places to review.

However… There is a “however.” After getting my new car, I can’t help but notice a major difference: My car helps me follow the rules; Google Maps does not. In fact, sometimes it even seems to nudge me toward breaking them.

Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool. Google Photos and Google Lens can already distinguish a cat from a monument; they know if an image is a duplicate or a selfie. So I ask myself: Why does Google Maps still ask me to upload images that clearly violate the rules?

If my car notices I’m drifting out of my lane and warns me, why doesn’t Maps warn me when I’m “drifting” outside of the community guidelines? I believe Google now has all the tools to:

  • Stop asking me to review places I’ve already reviewed.
  • Stop suggesting I upload duplicate, redundant images, or selfies.
  • Act as an expert co-pilot that educates me by pointing out in real-time if a photo isn’t mine or isn’t suitable.

This wouldn’t just improve the quality of the map; it would educate those acting in good faith. We would stop hearing: “But Maps suggested it, so how can it be against the policy?”

Of course, Maps should only warn us—it’s up to us to choose whether to listen or consciously ignore the advice. But the shift from quantity to quality should be guided by the tool itself.

What do you think?

How do you imagine your ideal Travel Companion? What “educational” feature would you like to see implemented in Maps tomorrow morning to help us all contribute better?

Reference posts for those who want to dive deeper into “unintentional errors”:

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Thank you @ErmesT for connecting personal experience with such a meaningful suggestion — this is exactly the kind of conversation that can shape the future of Maps.
If I imagine my ideal travel companion in Google Maps, it would be a quality checker that works before submission.

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I can only fully agree with you @ErmesT!

Maps should not suggest to upload photos or to review places, we already did. Instead after uploading a duplicate or a photo or video showing people should reject immediately and tell us why.

Too many photos are hidden for obscure reasons, but on the other hand, Maps is full of selfies, duplicates or redundant media or photos showing places far away from the pin where it was uploaded to. Theoretically, we can report the latter, but there is 99% chance the report is rejected.

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Hi,

I believe it’s only a matter of time before AI significantly enhances our lives.

I truly appreciate your articles—they’re insightful and teach us a great deal.

Regards,

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@ErmesT Coincido totalmente con vos. Google Maps se ha convertido en un compañero de viaje increíble, pero también podría hacer mucho más para ayudarnos a contribuir mejor como Local Guides.

Así como los autos modernos asisten al conductor y ayudan a prevenir errores, Maps podría guiarnos antes de subir fotos duplicadas, imágenes borrosas o contenido que no cumpla con las políticas de la plataforma. Ese tipo de asistencia mejoraría la calidad de nuestras contribuciones y haría la experiencia aún más gratificante.

También sería genial que reconociera los lugares que ya reseñamos, evitando sugerencias innecesarias y ayudándonos a enfocarnos en descubrir nuevos sitios.

Saludos.

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This one thing make me wonder in Google Maps is if I have submitted the photos or if I have reviewed the place already. If there is a way for us to search a place in Google Maps without going to the actual place or website to check it without scrolling thousand of photos that already submitted. Search the name of the place in Google Maps and boom here we go. Advise me if there is already a way to do it, @ErmesT

For my personally the convenience and travel friendly of Google Map is when it show the speed limit in one area, it cost quite a lot for speeding and it will stay in your records it means insurance will go up :frowning: Hugs to you, Ermest!

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It must have been an amazing 10 years of journeying together for your old car and Google Maps. Indeed, technology has evolved exponentially in the last decade or so. I’m super excited to know about the amazing features of your new car. And probably a bit disappointed to see Google Maps not evolving as quickly. Your observations are spot on when it comes to Maps giving us suggestions to add photos which are clear violation of its own policies. Maybe a few more years down the line we might get to see a robust AI for Maps which clearly detects human faces.
My two cents in this amazing post of yours is I would also love to see a more reliable process of handling escalations/feedback which we give on photos uploaded on Maps. I have hardly seen 10% cases where the photos I reported as “not a photo or video of the place” has been successfully removed. And these are photos with selfies and group pictures.

Thanks for sharing this thought provoking post @ErmesT

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Beautiful post, @ErmesT I really like your comparison between the car and Maps, it’s very clear and thought-provoking.
You’re absolutely right: if technology can guide us to follow driving rules, it should also help us follow contribution guidelines. Many people act in good faith and simply trust the prompts.

I would love to see Maps act more like an “educational co-pilot”, giving real-time feedback (duplicates, unsuitable photos) and encouraging quality over quantity.
Not restricting, but guiding, just like your new car does!

p.s. Tanti auguri! Non vedo l’ora di vedere la tua nuova macchina!

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Danke @ErmesT für diese schöne Geschichte, um auf die Fehler mit der Aufforderung bei Google Maps für Rezensionen und Bilder noch mal hinzuweisen. Es könnte wirklich mehr Assistenz in Google Maps hilfreich sein.

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I completely agree with you, @ErmesT. You have conveyed an important message in such an engaging and thought-provoking way that truly resonates with readers. As contributors to Google Maps and members of the Google Local Guides community, this message holds special significance for all of us.

Our role extends far beyond just adding places or writing reviews, we actively shape real-world experiences for people across the globe. And of course, Google Maps is not merely a tool; it serves as a trusted travel companion, guiding us and millions of others on every journey. That’s precisely why it becomes essential to have thoughtful, pre-established safeguards in place to help prevent any unintentional mistakes.

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Ahoj @ErmesT, ďakujem za ďalší neuveriteľne podnetný a výborne napísaný článok! Tvoj pohľad je pre komunitu vždy veľmi cenný. Naozaj si vážim, ako zdôrazňuješ dôležitosť kvalitných a zmysluplných príspevkov. Vždy je mi potešením učiť sa z tvojich skúseností. Si pre nás, nových lokálnych sprievodcov, veľkou inšpiráciou a z každého tvojho príspevku sa naučíme niečo úžasné, za čo ti patrí veľká vďaka.