Apps ensure accessibility

In a positive turn of events, it looks like companies are making disabled-friendly additions to their apps. While Airbnb has added new search filters for people with disabilities, Google Maps is taking wheelchair accessibility into account when creating transit routes.

Airbnb has added new filters to help people with disabilities find accommodation suited for them. It has added 21 new filters that will let users search specifically for elevators, showers than can accommodate wheelchair, ramps and wide entryways (to fit wheelchairs) to name a few. The company wrote on their blog that the previously available filters did not always meet travelers’ individual needs.

Airbnb will be monitoring the usage of the new filter to see if it provides accurate and useful results. The company may expand the filters to be even more specific in the coming months. This new feature will help users get more details about the accommodation, without having to ask the host.

The other tech giant that has made a similar addition is Google Maps. They have introduced a ‘wheelchair accessible’ route option, as reported by a popular tech portal. When selected, the route that is presented will take into account the availability of wheelchair ramps and elevators.

To use the new feature, users need to type in the destination, then tap ‘direction’, select ‘public transportation’ and then  select ‘Option’, the ‘wheelchair accessible’ option will appear under the ‘routes’ section.

The feature is currently being made available in cities with major transit hubs such as London, Tokyo, Mexico City, New York, Boston and Sydney.

Google had previously added the feature to see if a space is wheelchair accessible by clicking the description of a place and looking under the ‘amenities’ tab.