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Do you check the Google Street View for photos?
- Yes, I've checked my house
- Yes, I check a route I plan to travel
- Yes, I like to look for funny scenes
- Nope!
Was that a periscope on the roof, peering about the city? No, it's actually a 360-degree panoramic camera.
The vehicle was actually the Google Street View car.
The standard white Subaru Impreza used by Google is covered with graphics from the maps. Atop the car is the massive 360-degree panoramic camera used to take photographs in every possible direction.
Google has panoramic views on its maps from all seven continents, including all over the United States.
How do they do it?
"First off we need to actually drive around and photograph the locations to show in Street View," Google says on its website. "We pay close attention to many factors, including the weather and and the population density of various areas, to determine when and where can collect the best possible imagery."
It combines GPS, speed and direction with technology to put together the panoramic photos see on the Google maps.
Numerous blog postings on the making of the Google Street View maps say drivers actually try to avoid photographing people and antics as they cruise through towns and cities. So don't bother to smile and wave for the camera — and it's probably too late to rake the leaves in front of your house. But if Tuesday's weather continues to deteriorate, it may be a rain day for the Google Street View car.
To learn more about Google Street View, visit its website.
The Google Street View car was spotted over the winter in Fairfield. Click here to read about it on the Daily Voice.
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