Similar to how they gave Las Vegas a customized update ahead of Computer Electronics Show, Google’s been busy with their Maps updates in the United Kingdom leading into the Summer Olympics later this year.
A week or so ago, Google announced that it would be partnering with traintimes.org.uk in order to provide live real-time maps of London’s Tube (that’s their public railway system for you non-British). By visiting the above site, you can get a glimpse of where each train is and, by mousing over each of the pins on the map, see an estimate of the train’s arrival time.
Additionally, if you visit the actual Google Maps UK site and enter your directions, by choosing the option for directions via public transportation you’ll see pins on the map of each Tube station that also includes arrival and departure times for different train lines.
Finally, Google has paired up with the London and Wales government in order to apply crime statistics to Maps so that residents and travelers alike can see the types and density of crimes that have been committed in certain postcodes. Users can distinguish between what kind of crime stats they want to see (I guess so that people can assess their risk of becoming arson victims or burglary or the ominous “anti-social behaviour”).
Given that it’s just now January, I expect that Google will continue to enhance their Maps data for London as the Olympics approaches, such as interior floor maps of stadiums and well-populated hotels.