Toronto is of the five Canadian cities that are now viewable on the new Google Immersive View, a new feature that gives users a lifelike, multi-dimensional view of cities on its maps platform.
The feature launched last year in cities like Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Berlin. It is now also available in Montreal, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Edmonton,
The new feature, which uses AI to fuse billions of Street View and aerial images together, allows people to experience a city virtually.
“Imagine planning a summer getaway to Toronto. With Immersive View on Google Maps, you can experience the city before you even arrive,” Google said in a news blog.
“Take a virtual flight over the iconic CN Tower, then seamlessly descend to street level to explore nearby restaurants, hotels, and attractions.”
Google states that people would be able to virtually wander the “charming cobblestone streets of Old Montreal” and “admire Ottawa’s historic Parliament Hill, all from the comfort of your phone.”
Viewers, they said, could also use their time slider to see the temperature, how crowded an area can be and what the city looks like at different times of the day.