Google Maps may soon identify well-lit paths; pilot test expected in India

To help you walk towards home safely, Google Maps is reportedly planning on adding a new feature to its service to highlight brightly lit streets.

To help you walk towards home safely, Google Maps is reportedly planning on adding a new feature to its service to highlight brightly lit streets. As discovered by XDA Developers, the new feature called 'Lighting' will help users identify streets that are brightly lit. The feature will highlight those streets with good lighting with a yellow color highlight to help users avoid streets with poor or no lighting.

The feature was discovered in an APK teardown of the beta version of the app. It is unclear if Google will make it live in the public version. News Agency ANI reported that the feature is expected to be piloted in India first where women's safety is a national-level issue.

India has a grim record of sexual violence against women, with an average of some 90 rapes reported each day in 2017, according to the latest federal data.

The announcement comes amid angry protests over the gang-rape and murder of a 27-year-old veterinarian near the southern city of Hyderabad last week. Four suspects were shot dead during a reconstruction of the crime early on Friday by police who said they had tried to seize weapons. 

(With inputs from agencies.)