Google Maps rolls out real-time AQI monitoring feature

Google has introduced a new feature in its Maps app, enabling users to view real-time air quality index (AQI) data for locations worldwide, starting with India and expanding to over 100 countries by this week. With more than 2 billion users worldwide, Google Maps now not only helps people navigate but also informs them about the air quality in their area, offering valuable insights and health-related tips tailored to current conditions.

The air quality data in Google Maps is refreshed every hour, ensuring users can access the latest information for their specific location. This real-time AQI display aims to help users make more informed decisions, especially when air quality may impact their health. By integrating AQI data, Google Maps provides a colour-coded representation of air quality levels, making it accessible to users at a glance. The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 500, with different bands representing various levels of air pollution:

·       0 to 50 indicates good air quality.

·       51 to 100 is satisfactory.

·       101 to 200 is moderate.

·       201 to 300 is poor.

·       301 to 400 is very poor.

·       401 to 500 is severe.

Each AQI level is colour-coded: green represents good quality, while shades progress to red as the AQI worsens, with deep red indicating the highest pollution levels.

Google Maps also provides health-based recommendations for each air quality level. For example, when AQI levels are "poor" or worse, the app advises vulnerable individuals, such as children, elderly people, and those with respiratory conditions, to limit their outdoor exposure.

For AQI levels categorized as "severe," the app recommends that the general population avoid strenuous outdoor activities, while vulnerable groups are advised to stay indoors as much as possible. Google Maps even offers suggestions for items like air purifiers, emphasizing the need for cleaner indoor air if local outdoor air quality is poor.

This new AQI feature represents Google’s broader efforts to integrate more real-time, location-based environmental data into its services. By offering this information, Google aims to support users’ health and well-being, particularly in areas prone to high pollution.