Latest news with #GoogleMaps'
Japan Forward
4 days ago
- General
- Japan Forward
A Triangular Building with a 20-Degree Angle
Not far from Nerima Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, in a quiet residential corner of Tokyo's Nerima Ward, I came across an unusual building. It's a five-story structure with a basement, painted in bright yellow and orange. The bold colors stand out, but what really caught my eye was the shape. The building is a narrow triangle — so thin from certain angles that it barely looks like a building at all. I took a closer look at the sharpest point. The wall there was only about 60 centimeters wide. Using Google Maps' aerial view, I measured the interior angle — it came out to just 20 degrees. The Nerima Triangle Building has five floors above ground and one basement level. Old signs show it used to house small bars. Curious about what the inside of that narrow tip might look like, I took the opportunity to go in. The basement had been converted into a multipurpose rental space, so I was able to take a look around. Entrance to the basement rental area | Stairs leading to the basement Just inside the door was a spiral staircase. It was steep and narrow, like something out of a cave or hidden passage. I carefully made my way downstairs, ducking my head as I went. To my surprise, the space below was warm and inviting. It looked like it could comfortably host a small party of about five people. In the back, there was space for a fridge, a kitchen sink, a washing machine, and even a shower room. "Please enjoy the space like your own secret base," said Mio Aoki, who manages the rental. The basement rental space. The space includes Wi-Fi and a projector. I headed toward the narrowest part of the building. There, neatly tucked beneath the spiral stairs, was a toilet. According to floor plans I found on a housing website, it seems every floor has a toilet in the same spot. The toilet in the corner of the basement space. The building is certainly one of a kind. I wondered what else it was used for beyond the rental space. According to Aoki, the upper floors are occupied by residents. Before the basement was converted, it served as a storage area. Old signage on the side of the building suggests it once housed a snack bar or izakaya. As for living in the basement, Aoki laughed and said, "That would take a bit of courage." From the front, it looks like a relatively normal building. ( Read the article in Japanese . ) Author: Ikue Mio, The Sankei Shimbun
Engadget
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Engadget
Rivian adds Google Maps features to its navigation app
Rivian, the American EV manufacturer, is integrating Google Maps into its navigation app. The update should provide Rivian owners with more detailed information about their route, disruptions and places they're passing. These new features include updated traffic data and reroutes if another option turns out to be quicker along your journey. Drivers will also have access to real-time road disruption reports from the Google Maps community. Plus, places of interest should now be available right on the map. Rivian already used Google Maps' information for searching places, but now everything from hours to ratings should show up on the display. The newly available technology also extends to Google Maps' satellite images. Rivian's navigation app already included features such as range on arrival, charging information and charging stops along your route. The update comes with a new design that Rivian claims has better "glanceability" and "access to information." The company has faced some setbacks and concerns. In February 2024, Rivian laid off 10 percent of its salaried workforce due to a $1.5 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2023. Then, in October, reports emerged that the EV maker's only factory received 16 initially serious violations in 21 months from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). According to Bloomberg , injuries included an amputated finger, a broken skull, and having symptoms like vomiting and dizziness after having to paint without protections. Rivian has disputed these claims.
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Indian Express
After being stuck in a 2-hour jam, EaseMyTrip co-founder pledges Rs 1 crore to fix Bengaluru traffic
Frustrated by spending more than two hours to travel just 11 kilometers on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road (ORR), EaseMyTrip co-founder Prashant Pitti has pledged Rs 1 crore to fix the city's chronic traffic problems with the help of artificial intelligence and satellite data. In a post shared on X, Pitti shared about being stuck for 100 minutes at a single intersection on Saturday night, with no traffic signal or police presence to manage the chaos. 'I don't want one more Bengaluru traffic meme or rant. I want to fix it,' he wrote. Further, Pitti cited Google Maps' recently launched 'Road Management Insight' tool, which provides city-level traffic data through BigQuery. He suggested using AI and satellite imagery to highlight the city's worst choke points to support better urban planning and traffic management. Pitti offered to fund up to Rs 1 crore toward the initiative personally. This includes covering the cost of hiring one or two experienced ML/AI engineers, paying for Google Maps API usage, obtaining satellite imagery, and setting up the GPU infrastructure required to process large-scale traffic data. 'I am willing to spend INR 1 Crore on this project by funding: 1-2 senior ML/AI engineers. And providing budget for using Google Maps API calls, Satellite Imagery & GPUs. I will start this project, when BTP/BBMP: Open their raw feeds or API access AND names a team, committed to acting on the insights we generate,' he wrote. Urging public support, Pitti asked citizens to tag officials, encourage tech professionals to contribute, and help amplify the initiative. 'Bangalore is India's tech future. And the people making it happen deserve much better,' he wrote. See the post here: I am committing INR 1 Cr to find Bangalore Choke-Points via Google Maps & AL. 11 km → 2.15 hours in Bangalore Traffic on Saturday late night! I was stuck at one choke-point at ORR, where I spent 100 mins struggling to understand why there is no traffic-light or cop here! But… — Prashant Pitti (@ppitti) July 14, 2025 Several users appreciated Pitti's initiative, with one commenting, 'Kudos to the effort.' Another user wrote, 'Hats off to you for this cracking initiative! I'm no AI/ML whiz, but I can definitely lend a hand with those meetings with Bengaluru Traffic Police and BBMP.'
Mint
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
EaseMyTrip co-founder stuck in Bengaluru traffic for 2 hours, pledges ₹1 crore to map chokepoints using AI
EaseMyTrip co-founder Prashant Pitti recently endured a two-hour traffic jam while covering just 11 kilometres on a Saturday night. Bengaluru's notorious traffic has long been a growing concern in India's tech capital. After experiencing it firsthand, Pitti has pledged ₹ 1 crore to identify choke points and help address the issue. Pitti announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he has a proposal to find Bangalore chokepoints using Google Maps, artificial Intelligence and Machine learning. 'I was stuck at one choke-point at ORR, where I spent 100 mins struggling to understand why there is no traffic-light or cop here,' Pitti said in his post. Pitti's initiative aims to move beyond mere complaints and towards tangible solutions as he firmly stated, 'I don't want one more Bengaluru Traffic Memes or Rant. I WANT TO FIX IT.' Pitti has put forward a proposal on X, which talks about potential solutions to identify and fix the traffic bottlenecks in the city. Google Maps data and AI: Utilising Google Maps' 'Road Management Insight', city-level data in Big Query format, along with satellite imagery. Chokepoint identification: The goal is to list down all the chokepoints and their exact timings in a month. This retrieved data will then be shared with the traffic department, who in turn will focus their efforts on those areas specifically. To bring the vision to life, Pitti is committing ₹ 1 crore, which will fund the following: Senior ML/AI engineers: Hiring 1-2 experienced machine learning and artificial intelligence professionals to join the cause. Technological Infrastructure: Covering the budget for using Google Maps API calls, Satellite Imagery access and powerful GPU infrastructure required for data processing and model training. Pitti emphasises that the success of this project depends on collaboration from local authorities. He is also actively seeking support from others on X.
Mint
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
EaseMyTrip co-founder stuck in Bengaluru traffic for 2 hours, pledges ₹1 crore to map chokepoints using AI
EaseMyTrip co-founder Prashant Pitti recently endured a two-hour traffic jam while covering just 11 kilometres on a Saturday night. Bengaluru's notorious traffic has long been a growing concern in India's tech capital. After experiencing it firsthand, Pitti has pledged ₹ 1 crore to identify choke points and help address the issue. Pitti announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he has a proposal to find Bangalore chokepoints using Google Maps, artificial Intelligence and Machine learning. 'I was stuck at one choke-point at ORR, where I spent 100 mins struggling to understand why there is no traffic-light or cop here,' Pitti said in his post. Pitti's initiative aims to move beyond mere complaints and towards tangible solutions as he firmly stated, 'I don't want one more Bengaluru Traffic Memes or Rant. I WANT TO FIX IT.' Pitti has put forward a proposal on X, which talks about potential solutions to identify and fix the traffic bottlenecks in the city. Google Maps data and AI: Utilising Google Maps' 'Road Management Insight', city-level data in Big Query format, along with satellite imagery. Chokepoint identification: The goal is to list down all the chokepoints and their exact timings in a month. This retrieved data will then be shared with the traffic department, who in turn will focus their efforts on those areas specifically. To bring the vision to life, Pitti is committing ₹ 1 crore, which will fund the following: Senior ML/AI engineers: Hiring 1-2 experienced machine learning and artificial intelligence professionals to join the cause. Technological Infrastructure: Covering the budget for using Google Maps API calls, Satellite Imagery access and powerful GPU infrastructure required for data processing and model training. Pitti emphasises that the success of this project depends on collaboration from local authorities. He is also actively seeking support from others on X. Government Partnership: The project will commence only when the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) or Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) provide access to raw data feeds or APIs and designates a dedicated team to act on the generated insights. ML/AI community to act: he urged professionals to comment 'IN' if they are willing to contribute their expertise in a part-time setup, and end this menace.
