Introducing road level details in the Maps Javascript API, Maps SDKs, and Navigation SDKs
- 28East
- Apr 23
- 2 min read
Google Maps Platform is rolling out enhanced visual road-level details across the Maps JavaScript API, Maps SDKs, and Navigation SDKs. Whether your users are driving, cycling, or walking, these improvements make it easier to understand their surroundings and navigate with greater confidence.
Bringing greater visual detail to the road map style
These updates are now available in select major cities across North and South America, Europe, and Asia, bringing more realism and clarity to your map-based applications, including:
Sidewalks and crosswalks for improved walkability
Accurately scaled road widths, centerlines, and medians
Clearer lane markings and special-use lanes like bike lanes, HOV, and turn-only lanes
Pathways and stairs in parks for more intuitive pedestrian routing
These enhancements help users make better decisions on the move, and help developers deliver smarter, more reliable map experiences.
Paris street details
New York City details
Los Angeles freeway details
Previously, these road details were only available in the Google Maps consumer web and mobile experiences. Now, Google Maps Platform is excited to make this high-fidelity road information available to all our developers across Google Maps Platform.
Get road-level details with Cloud-based map styling
You can quickly and easily use Cloud-based map styling to customise road details visual elements in your custom map style for both web and mobile applications. Developers using customised map styles should update their configurations for zoom levels 17+ using Cloud-based map styling or JSON styling. If your map relies on road geometry for markers, overlays, or features, we recommend testing with a recent SDK/API version to ensure visual compatibility. Notable changes include:
Roads now appear as polygons rather than polylines for improved accuracy
High-level road types (e.g. highway, local road) no longer apply at these zoom levels
Crosswalks and intersection signage can now be custom-styled via Cloud-based map styling
Leverage Cloud-based map styling to preview road-level details for custom styles.
Enhancing navigation experiences
If you use the Navigation SDK, road level details bring even more precision to in-app navigation. Your users will benefit from:
Clearer lane visibility to better anticipate merges, forks, and exits
Detailed crosswalk visuals for improved pedestrian navigation
Enhanced lane markings
Walking navigation with road level details
What’s changing for developers?
The road level details enhancements will be automatically applied to your basemap styles across Maps and Navigation SDKs using the roadmap style. This includes the Maps JavaScript API, Static API, Maps Embed API, Map Tiles API, and Android and iOS Maps and Navigation SDKs.
If you're already using the latest versions of these APIs and SDKs, you'll automatically see these road-level detail enhancements. If you're using Industry Optimised Map Styling, the road level detail enhancements will replace it and provide even higher fidelity details for your basemap.
Get started today
To take advantage of road-level details, update to the latest version of Maps JavaScript API, Maps SDKs, and Navigation SDKs. To learn more, get in touch with us today.
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