Driving on the streets has become easier thanks to GPS, but tunnels or long tunnels have always represented an obstacle for applications such as Google Maps. Now, with the introduction of Bluetooth beacons, the mobile application offers an innovative solution to this problem. The novelty, already available for many users, promises to improve the accuracy of localization in underground sections.
Google Maps solves the problem of GPS signal loss in tunnels with Bluetooth beacons
Google Maps has always been an indispensable tool for global navigation, but the tunnels have posed a significant challenge due to the loss of GPS signal. This problem, however, is about to become a thing of the past thanks tointroduction of Bluetooth beacons (already present on Waze), a technology that is not entirely new, but extremely effective (via SmartDroid).
The beacon system has long been used exclusively by the Waze app, also owned by Google, which has implemented its use in various tunnels in cities such as New York, Chicago, Paris and Brussels. These beacons have significantly improved underground navigation, providing drivers with continuity of the localization service where the GPS signal does not reach, thus increasing safety and awareness of real-time events inside the tunnels.
Now, Google Maps follows in Waze's footsteps by integrating Bluetooth beacons to improve navigation in tunnels.
How to enable the Bluetooth Beacon feature on Google Maps
The new feature can be found in Settings > Navigation settings and under the section “Driving options“, towards the bottom, there will be the option called “Bluetooth beacons in galleries“. The feature, disabled by default, is described as a tool to scan Bluetooth beacons in tunnels to improve location accuracy.
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By activating this feature, Maps for Android will ask for permission to scan nearby devices. It should be underlined, however, that this feature is not currently available on iOS but only for Android.
