ChargePoint Integrated Into Apple Maps

With electric vehicles growing in popularity, Apple is reportedly adding more electric charging station locations to its Apple Maps.

According to a report, Apple has been making the move since the launch of iOS 10, and on Thursday (Dec. 8), ChargePoint, the electric vehicle (EV) charging network, has officially been integrated into Apple Maps. With the integration, ChargePoint‘s network of charging stations will be visible in Apple Maps with EV Charger badges. When users tap on one of the badges, it will get more information, as well as initiate charging and complete payment for the charge. There’s a link within Apple Maps that sends users to the ChargePoint app. The added listings of ChargePoint stations on Apple Maps include directions to the charging station, hours of operation and pricing.

“Right from their iPhone, they can start charging, pay and see other station details. Once they’re done charging, they can navigate to their next destination. The presence of charging station badges on maps reinforces that EVs are going mainstream, with chargers popping up everywhere to make driving electric easy,” ChargePoint said, according to the report.

For Apple, this isn’t the only innovative announcements it had this week. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is in the midst of bringing together robotics and data collection professionals with an eye on speed in mapping out information, typically gathered “on the road,” literally, through vehicles. The Apple drones will be used to track and document street signs and find if there have been changes to routes due to construction and other initiatives. The firm, said unnamed insiders, will also boost views taken inside buildings, with an overarching goal of better data control. The use of drones was presaged by a filing last September that the firm made looking for an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration to bring drones in for commercial use. The FAA granted drone use to Apple earlier in 2016.