Users in several major cities can now check where they can pick up the nearest available bike to rent. — dpa
Google says it wants to make it easier for users of its Maps app to find and rent shared bikes, which are now estimated to number around 18 million in cities around the world.
Users in several major cities can now check where they can pick up the nearest available bike to rent. The feature is initially limited to smartphones and certain cities.
When you open up your app on Android or iOS phone and tap on the flag of a nearby station, a pop-up opens displaying the current number of available bikes.
"Bikesharing is booming as this two-wheeled technology transforms how people get from A to B in cities around the planet," the tech company said. "Just like how we show you when buses and trains are coming and going in Google Maps, you’ll now know which bikeshare stations have a bike ready for you."
The full list of cities, which Google says will expand with time, is as follows: Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Chicago, Dublin, Hamburg, Helsinki, Kaohsiung, London, Los Angeles, Lyon, Madrid, Mexico City, Montreal, New Taipei City, New York City, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco Bay Area, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich. – dpa
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