Google Maps will now warn drivers in London and other cities if they’re getting to enter a low-emission zone with fees or fines.
Several major cities have such schemes to stay polluting traffic out of their busiest areas.
But where such zones begin is usually unclear – and may find out tourists and occasional local drivers alike.
To begin with, Google will alert drivers entering zones in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, London, and Paris.
London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) covers a neighborhood with most of the city’s tourist hotspots and historical landmarks, from:
1.Mayfair, within the west, to Whitechapel, within the east
2.Clerkenwell, within the north, to Lambeth within the south
Drivers of older cars below modern emission standards need to pay £12.50 within the zone.
And, unIn the Paris zone, drivers without a windscreen sticker certifying their emissions are often fined:
1.€68 (£58) for cars
2.€135 for bigger vehicles
And Berlin features a similar system.
“The alerts will appear when planning a visit that goes through a low-emission zone and when nearing a zone while already on the way to the destination,” Google said.
They also linked to official local information, it said, adding: “Based on this info, impacted users can choose an alternate mode of transportation or take another route.”
But Google Maps is that the most generally used navigation app, with estimates of its market share starting from slightly below 70% to about 80%.
The company says it supports efforts to chop traffic pollution within the most built-up areas.
And it announced the move, in March, alongside other planned changes, including making the “eco-friendly” option the default route.til it expands, in October, it applies within the same area because the separate £15 congestion charge.
