Google Maps signals any architectural barriers with Accessible Places

In Italy as in the rest of the world, many places are still inaccessible for over 130 million people in wheelchairs. Let’s talk about the so-called barriers architectural: those spaces that prevent the passage of wheelchairs, such as stairs without ramps or raised entrances. To drive greater accessibility, Google Maps today announced the feature Accessible places.

Created thanks to the efforts of over 120 million Local Guides, Accessible Places will provide information relating to the accessibility of over 40 million placessuch as commercial establishments, all over the world, including Italy.

How Google Maps Accessible Places works

Users who activate the Accessible Places setting from the Google Maps app will see wheelchair icons appear in the info of a particular place. This marks all spaces that allow wheelchair access. In reverse, any architectural barriers will be marked with the same icon but crossed out.

The information may be provided by the same managers of the commercial activities and by the users themselves. “The function – reads the post on the official Google blog – can be also useful if you want to avoid stairs because you have a stroller, luggage or use a trolley”. Community members will be able to contribute by clicking on the business profile, going to “About” and then “Edit characteristics”.

Accessible Places was first launched in 2020 in Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Today it arrives all over the world, including Italy.