What is VPS feature that helps navigate indoor locations in Google maps?

Correct option is B

The Visual Positioning Service (VPS) is a feature in Google Maps that uses a smartphone’s camera to help users navigate both indoor and outdoor locations more accurately. By combining real-time visual data from the camera with Google’s map database, VPS improves navigation in environments where traditional GPS signals are weak or unavailable, such as indoors or in dense urban areas.

VPS works by analyzing the surroundings captured through a phone’s camera, matching them with 3D models or markers stored in Google’s database, and then providing step-by-step directions directly on the screen. This feature is particularly useful for indoor navigation, such as inside large shopping malls, airports, or museums, but it can also help in complex outdoor environments like busy streets or city centers.

Google Maps uses augmented reality (AR) to overlay navigation instructions, making it easier to follow the correct path by showing arrows or other visual indicators on the camera feed. This improves user experience by providing a more intuitive and precise navigation system.

Information booster:

1. VPS combines real-time camera data with map data to provide accurate location tracking in places where GPS cannot perform effectively.
2. It can be used both indoors (in malls, airports, etc.) and in outdoor urban environments with complex or obstructed paths.
3. Augmented reality (AR) is a core component of VPS, where virtual arrows and directions appear overlaid on the camera feed.
4. Google Maps’ VPS is an enhancement over traditional GPS, which struggles in places with poor satellite visibility like indoors or dense cities.
5. VPS also improves navigation in places with high foot traffic, helping people find exits, specific stores, or points of interest quickly.
6. This system has become part of the broader trend toward using visual data and AI for smarter navigation solutions.

Additional knowledge:

• (a) Virtual Point of Sale (VPOS) refers to an online payment system for completing financial transactions, unrelated to navigation features.
• (c) Virtual Positioning Service is not the correct term. The correct term for the technology used in Google Maps for indoor and outdoor navigation is Visual Positioning Service (VPS).
• (d) Vision Positioning Service is also an incorrect variant. The right term is Visual Positioning Service (VPS), which uses the phone’s camera and AR to help navigate environments.