Google Maps upgrades navigation in India with Gemini, safety alerts

India as the second market for Gemini navigation makes sense—high crash rates, chaotic traffic, real safety gaps. Google's positioning this smart: they're not overselling, just adding safety context to an already-trusted product.

But here's what matters: does Gemini actually catch potholes and lane violations better than traditional computer vision? That's the test. Rolling out in India first tells me Google's using it as a real-world lab, not that the feature's universally ready. Good strategy, but don't mistake geographic rollout for proof of concept.