You can now check real-time air quality on Google Maps
Google Maps has launched a new feature, Air View+, in India. The AI-powered tool offers real-time hyperlocal air quality information to users across the country. The introduction of this feature comes at a particularly important time as air pollution levels are on the rise in Delhi, where the AQI recently peaked at 491.
Air View+ aims to aid environmental monitoring
Air View+ has been designed as an ecosystem-based solution, one that would offer important air quality insights to government agencies tasked with environmental monitoring and urban planning. The feature was announced in a blog post by Yael Maguire, VP and GM of Google Maps Platform and Google Earth, and Miriam Daniel, VP and GM of Google Maps.
Google highlights need for hyperlocal air quality data
Further, the blog post highlighted the need to mitigate risks that could impede India's growth momentum, including environmental concerns, with air pollution being a major one. "Air pollution not only diminishes the liveability of our cities but it massively contributes to an overloaded healthcare system," Google said. The firm also said that targeted action has been limited due to lack of precise data on hyperlocal air quality levels.
Air View+ collaborates with local climate tech firms
Air View+ is a joint effort of Google and local climate tech companies. The feature leverages Google AI to model a wide range of data inputs, giving real-time hyperlocal air quality information on Google Maps to users across India. The initiative unites local sustainability start-ups, researchers/climate action groups, corporations, city administrators, and citizens to facilitate comprehensive air quality monitoring.
Air quality sensor network established in Indian cities
Climate tech companies, Aurassure and Respirer Living Sciences, have been instrumental in setting up an air quality sensor network in cities that didn't have the infrastructure for air quality monitoring. The sensors measure multiple air quality parameters every minute and are placed across over 150 Indian cities to cover as much population as possible. The data is then analyzed using Google AI by researchers and sustainability start-ups to provide insights quickly and at scale.
Air View+ supports urban planners
The local municipal corporations are utilizing the data from Air View+ to create their own in-house AQ dashboards through researchers and sustainability partners. These dashboards offer air quality data for unmonitored areas, helping urban planners pinpoint hotspots and take necessary action. The system employs an advanced AI model that combines multiple data sources, including sensor readings, satellite imagery, government data, weather patterns, and traffic conditions.
