Credit: Megan Ellis / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google Maps is working on navigation avatars (Navatars) specifically for the Bicycling mode.
- The feature was spotted in version 26.11.06, and the Bicycle navigation avatar will appear in the “Your vehicles” settings alongside cars and motorbikes.
- While the code is present, the graphics are currently server-side, so the avatar is not yet active for users.
Google Maps just rolled out a massive Immersive Mode upgrade that car owners will widely appreciate. Cyclists shouldn’t feel left out, and so Google has now been spotted working on navigation avatars for cyclists.
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Google Maps already offers navigation avatars, called Navatars, when users use modes such as Driving (for cars) or Two-wheeler (for motorbikes). Google Maps also offers a Bicycling mode in supported locations that lets users view and use dedicated cycling lanes, if available.
