You can now ask Google Now to book an Ola or Uber

Google has teamed up with Ola and Uber to make cab booking even more hassle-free. So, you can now look for directions and then choose the taxi service directly within the Search app or mobile search browser.  The feature was made available on the latest version of Google Maps earlier this year, offering a tab with information for cab services in addition to the existing driving, public transport, or walking options. With the further integration, users can ask Google for directions and book the ride directly from Search. Google explains that on request for specific information such as “Taxi to Bangalore airport” or more specifically “Uber to Bangalore airport” or “Ola to Bangalore airport”, the app/ browser directs the user to select a service and automatically opens the app to book the ride, all in just one tap. In case, the app is not installed on the device, Google Search will show a link to install the app. “Choosing the best transit option can be a task at times, our aim is to help users simplify their everyday travel. With this, users will be able to order, explore and make quick comparisons about the best estimated taxi fare directly from Google Search results on their mobile,” said Sanket Gupta, Program Manager, Google. It worked quite fine on our Android offering taxi service options from both Ola and Uber along with the estimated time of arrival and fare. On searching for a cab service (using Siri) on iPhone 7, it asked what type of ride we are looking for and then listed out the options. However, iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s running iOS 10 didn’t show the desired results in Google search.