Google Maps is testing a 'Prefer shade' option for pedestrians

Google Maps is preparing an unusual update for pedestrian navigation — a 'Prefer shade' feature. It will let you pick routes with more stretches protected from the sun. It might sound like a small tweak, but in hot climates the difference can be the line between comfort and overheating.

Clues from a test version of the app indicate the new setting will appear under 'Route options'. It will assess whether a path runs along the sunny or shaded side of the street and can even show an estimate of how much time you’ll spend under direct sunlight.

Exactly how Google plans to determine where the shade falls hasn’t been disclosed. Still, with Street View cars equipped with lidar and light sensors, the company could plausibly use that data to build lighting maps. Similar ideas have surfaced in experimental projects such as Parasol and Cool Walks, which factor in the sun’s position and the architecture that casts shade.

This is the sort of update that makes technology feel more considerate. When navigation doesn’t just get you from A to B but helps you choose a more comfortable way to do it, that’s a step toward smarter cities that keep people’s well-being in mind. Come summer, when asphalt seems to melt and even a short stroll turns into a trial, a shaded route can make all the difference.