Now that Ho Chi Minh City's first metro line is officially running, the most popular mapping app in Vietnam has quickly adjusted its routing to include the new line.
Metro Line 1, Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien, officially began operating on the morning of December 22. Right away, Google Maps updated its routes to cover this mode of transport, instead of only listing regular buses. Specifically, when a user picks a start and end point that fit the rail line, the app guides them along that route.
For example, if a user starts at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education and wants to get to the Nguyen Hue walking street, switching to the public transit option makes Google Maps suggest Metro Line 1 at the top of the list. The estimated travel time is about 43 minutes, including 14 minutes of walking, with the rest spent on the train. The tool also quotes a fare of about 20.000 dong for this route.
Bus options, though cheaper, get lower priority because they take longer. For instance, a user can choose bus No. 53 at a cost of 7.000 dong, but it takes 10 more minutes than going by metro.
In some specific cases, however, Google Maps does not prioritize Metro Line 1 even though it saves time.
For instance, when a user sets Thu Duc Market as the starting point and the New World hotel as the destination, the system suggests bus No. 93 or 08/19, with a travel time of more than 1 hour. Meanwhile, the fastest option is Metro Line 1, at 58 minutes, but it is not shown automatically, and users have to select it manually.
The reason for this difference is that Google Maps bases its navigation on many factors. Besides travel time, the app also weighs traffic volume, walking distance, the slope of the route, fuel consumption, and the cost to the traveler. Even if it is faster, if the metro stations are too far from the starting point or the destination, the time spent transferring means the route is not prioritized.
If users still want to take the metro, they can change their transit preferences in the Google Maps settings.
In a conversation with Tri Thuc - Znews, a Google communications representative in Vietnam said the app regularly updates data on locations, places, and directions from many different sources. Data from government agencies, satellites, the supporting community, and user feedback all help improve the app's accuracy.
As a result, the app needs a certain amount of time to update its data when a new route or mode of transport appears. Mr. Hoang Lan, a Google Maps support specialist in Vietnam, told Tri Thuc - Znews that when users spot errors in place names or directions in the app, they should report them so the team can log and handle them. Fixing an error usually takes 5 to 7 working days.
Meanwhile, Apple Maps, the default mapping app on devices such as the iPhone, MacBook, and iPad, has still not added public transit routes in Vietnam. The platform has recently stepped up its street data collection and added more directions information, but it still trails Google Maps in usefulness and popularity in the country.
Source: ZNews
