Google Maps will display an air quality measurement index on its maps. The option, currently reserved for the United States, allows you to get an idea of the air quality in the region you are visiting.
Google Maps continues to grow with new features. In recent years, the Mountain View giant has notably inaugurated news related to ecology. To reduce their carbon footprint and their energy consumption, Maps, for example, relays users to the most environmentally friendly companies. The application also displays the least polluting routes as a priority, even if they are longer than the other routes.
At the same time, Google is deploying features intended to take care of the health of Internet users. In a blog post published on June 8, the company announces the arrival of the display of an air quality index on Maps. “You’ll see the Air Quality Index, a measure of how good (or unhealthy) the air is, as well as tips for outdoor activities”explains Google.
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How to display air quality on Google Maps?
The group explains that it identifies data provided by multiple government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States. Maps also retrieves information from PurpleAir, a network of sensors designed to measure air quality. To display the air quality index on your map on Android or iOS, follow the manipulation below:
- Open the Google Maps app
- Tap the Maps icon in the top right corner
- Select Air Quality in the Map Details section
- The information will automatically appear on
At first, the option seems confined to the United States. If the icon is clearly visible in the Maps application in France, the data relating to regions located outside the American soil are unavailable. However, the presence of the icon suggests that Google will soon display the data in Europe. Note that this is a server-side update. There is nothing to install to push the appearance of the feature.
