New Patent Suggests AR Navigation Is Coming To Apple Maps

Google Maps previously introduced the AR Navigation feature so that individuals with no sense of direction can also directly see which direc...

Google Maps previously introduced the AR Navigation feature so that individuals with no sense of direction can also directly see which direction to go through AR. And now Apple seems to have entered this field and it went one step further, to the direction of AR Navigation for driving instead of just limited to walking.

Apple recently submitted a patent via the US Patent and Trademark Office, and the name is quite straightforward, it is titled "Navigation using Augmented Reality," explaining how Apple intends to offer better visual information to the driver by taking advantage of AR.

The patent describes that through a device mounted on the car, the camera on the device will observe and analyze the condition on the road, including distinguishing the lane, vehicle, road sign, and other information, then the navigation feed will be superimposed on the real-time road condition image, so that the driver can obtain navigation data while observing road conditions. In other words, the system knows exactly which lane the driver is currently on and shows them which lane they need to enter.

However, in order to use this feature, the location of the phone must be in front of the user so that the camera will be consistent with the scene seen by the driver. Whether such an approach will hinder the driver's vision is an issue that Apple needs to consider.

Nevertheless, there have been rumors in the past that Apple is also developing AR glasses. Imagine if the AR navigation feature can be used with AR glasses, it may be better in terms of experience.