The Google Maps Distance Matrix API provides a service that allows you to compute travel distances and times between multiple origins and destinations. It calculates the time and distance it takes to travel between various points, which can be based on different modes of transportation (e.g., driving, walking, bicycling, or public transportation).

Key features include:

Multiple origins and destinations: You can specify multiple origin and destination points to calculate distances between all combinations of these points.

Travel time and distance: It returns both the travel distance (in meters or miles) and the travel time (in seconds or minutes), factoring in traffic conditions (for driving mode).

Modes of transportation: The API supports different modes like driving, walking, cycling, and transit, allowing you to choose the most relevant one for your application.

Traffic data: For driving, it provides real-time traffic conditions and can calculate the travel time based on current traffic, allowing you to get more accurate estimations.

This API is commonly used for applications that need to calculate routes, estimate travel times, or optimize delivery routes, among other things.