New Google Assistant ride sharing integration can help you book a Lyft, Uber

Abner Li | Oct 4 2018 - 9:00 am PT

Just yesterday, Google began rolling out a complete visual redesign of Assistant for Android and iOS, as well as allowing developers to better monetize Actions . Google Assistant is now gaining the ability to help you book a ride from Uber, Lyft, and more with just your voice.

Users can now ask Assistant on any device, including Android, iPhone, and Google Home, to call for a ride. Like with other commands, this can be phrased in a number of natural ways, including:

Hey Google, book a ride to the Bluebird Cafe
Hey Google, get me a taxi to Denver International Airport

On a phone, Google will then show a card featuring a map of your current location and the desired destination, as well as popular ride services. This list includes the types of rides available, noting the estimated cost and how far the nearest vehicle is to you.

Users are able to see only their preferred ride service by specifying the provider in the command: “Hey Google, book a Lyft to SFO.” If you were interacting via a smart speaker, you can then confirm the ride on a phone, with a selection opening the appropriate app to book.

Google Assistant ride sharing integration is a natural fit for voice and helps users accomplish tasks while their hands are busy. Even on a phone, it cuts down on having to open an app and manually enter a location.

This feature is seeing a wide launch with availability in English and any country where a supported ride service operates. Providers include Uber, Lyft, Ola, Grab, and GO-JEK to cover large parts of the world.