Moovit Adds AR Way Finder for Public Transport Users
Navigating unfamiliar city streets can be difficult after emerging from underground stations, particularly in dense urban areas where tall buildings, bright light, and limited signage make it hard to determine the correct direction.
In such situations, travellers may choose a route without clear confirmation and later need to retrace their steps. Augmented reality tools are increasingly being used to reduce this uncertainty by providing visual guidance over real-world surroundings.
Google previously introduced an augmented reality overlay within Google Maps to support pedestrian navigation. Moovit has now introduced a similar concept focused on public transport, with a feature designed to help users locate bus stops and underground stations.
The new tool, called Way Finder, uses a smartphone camera to display directional markers within the user’s live view. The feature operates similarly to camera-based overlays used in applications such as Snapchat, identifying real-world locations and placing navigation indicators over them.
When planning a journey within the Moovit application, users can select the navigation option to receive live route guidance. A blue Way Finder button then appears, allowing the augmented mode to be activated.
Once enabled and the phone is held up, the system highlights important points along the route, including the correct transport stop, using arrows positioned above their physical locations.
In Way Finder mode, the upper half of the screen displays directional signs layered over the live camera feed, including left- and right-turn indicators to guide movement. The lower half displays the standard map interface with the full journey route. If the device is lowered, the display automatically switches back to a full-screen map view.
The feature was developed after a Moovit user shared feedback on Facebook describing confusion about being on the wrong side of a street while following directions. The company incorporated the idea during an internal hackathon, leading to the creation of the augmented navigation function.
Way Finder became available on Thursday for iOS devices running the latest version of the Moovit application. Users can enable the feature through the settings menu under the experimental “Labs” section.
The release reflects the broader adoption of augmented reality in navigation tools to help users locate destinations and transport points more accurately in complex urban environments.
