Autoblog

Google Street View takes to the slopes of Whistler [w/video + map]

Noah Joseph — Wed, 26 May 2010 16:29:00 EST

Google Street View Snowmobile - Click above to see what it caught in the video and interactive map after the jump

Google may have grounded its Street View fleet, but that doesn't mean there isn't still plenty to see on the search engine giant's most immersive of online tools. We've recently brought you news of the Street View team taking to the Woodward Dream Cruise, the Lotus test track and Laguna Seca, to name just a few. But as the proprietors of countless unsecured networks can tell you, Google's reach extends far beyond pavement.

In the ramp-up to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, just a few months ago, Google strapped its cameras to snowmobiles to map out the extensive winter sport playground at Whistler. Still feeling the Olympic fever? Planning a trip to Canada's West Coast? Just plain curious? Check it out in the video after the jump.

[Source: Google]

Continue reading Google Street View takes to the slopes of Whistler [w/video + map]

Google Street View takes to the slopes of Whistler [w/video + map] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best reaction to an oncoming Google Street View car ever

Zach Bowman — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Technology, Humor

Click above to watch animation after the jump

There's no denying that Google StreetView has made our lives easier. There's always a difference between knowing where something is on a map and seeing the surrounding landmarks with your own virtual eyes, and Google Maps has gone a long way toward bringing the world to our living room. Of course, StreetView has also helped to remind us of just how entertaining the human race can be. Creative souls the world over have staged pranks - both elaborate and otherwise - to have themselves immortalized in the annals of Googledom.

While we've seen our fair share of superheroes, unique vehicles and the like, our hats have to go off to the crew in the animated GIF seen after the jump. There is no elaborate set up or costume, just two guys who really wanted to be on Google StreetView. Go ahead - see it for yourself.

[Source: Make Use Of]

Continue reading Best reaction to an oncoming Google Street View car ever

Best reaction to an oncoming Google Street View car ever originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 May 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Street View cars collected personal data over Wi-Fi, entire fleet grounded

Zach Bowman — Sat, 15 May 2010 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Technology

Big Brother is always watching. Or listening. Or maybe just nabbing some info off of your unsecured Wi-Fi network. Google has officially grounded its fleet of Street View cars after discovering that the rolling tech stations were inadvertently sampling data from open Wi-Fi networks. How did this happen? According to a post on the search giant's blog, a piece of errant code found its way into the same program that Google uses to help pinpoint businesses in your area. As a result, tiny snippets of information were stored in the halls of Googledom as the Street View cars rolled through towns and cities all over the globe. The company says that it was never looked at and that it wants to delete the information as soon as it gets the OK from authorities.

If it's any consolation, Google says that the bits of data should be very small and very fragmented. Why? For one thing, the Street View cars are moving, and the company says that the program was designed to change channels five times per second. Even so, Google will submit the software to a third party for review. The flaw was discovered following an audit from the German Data Protection Agency.

Let this be a lesson to you, kids: lock down your Wi-Fi.

[Source: Engadget via Google]

Google Street View cars collected personal data over Wi-Fi, entire fleet grounded originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 May 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps gets down with the Woodward Dream Cruise

Zach Bowman — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Technology

You have to drive something really special to stand out from the crowd at the Woodward Dream Cruise - something like a Google Street View Chevrolet Cobalt. When we spotted the Street View crew at last summer's cruise, we wondered if any shots of the vintage metal rolling around Detroit would actually make it into Google Maps or not.

Turns out that question has been answered. As of now, you can virtually tour Woodward Ave., complete with snippets of the cruise interspersed. If you were driving your own classic last August, there's a chance you can see your car tucked among the rest of the metal. Hat tip to Jed!

[Source: Google Street View]

Google Maps gets down with the Woodward Dream Cruise originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take a virtual lap of the Lotus test track on Google street view

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Lotus

For car buffs one of the more interesting aspects of Google Maps has been checking out the high resolution satellite imagery of race tracks and manufacturer test tracks around the world. Aside from the engineers who work at those facilities and selected outsiders like the media, the proving grounds are typically tightly guarded places and regular people can't just wander in.

Ever since Google augmented maps with the street view function several years ago, users have have been exploring and finding all kinds of neat places they've never visited or sometimes just checking out their own neighborhoods to see if they got caught on camera. Recently Lotus invited one of the street view camera cars inside its headquarters at Hethel near Norwich in south east England.

The results are now visible on Google maps when you go to the home on Lotus on Potash Ln and start zooming in. When you zoom all the way down, you can take a virtual drive through the front gate, past the factory and engineering buildings and right out onto the track. The street view car circulates the track with a Lotus Evora, a 2-eleven and a methanol fuel experimental Exige 265e. You can get directly to Lotus via http://3.ly/LotusCarFactoryGoogleStreetView

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Take a virtual lap of the Lotus test track on Google street view

Take a virtual lap of the Lotus test track on Google street view originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Street View confirms Elephantitis strikes deer population in Canada

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Humor

Let's all collectively thank the glorious bit of technology that is Google Street View for letting the world know about the rare and mostly undocumented breakout of Elephantitis in Canada's deer population. Unlike the human form of the disease which is generally characterized by the swelling of a single body part, deer Elephantitis apparently morphs the hapless affected creatures into real-life elephants. If you're driving in the area, extra caution is advisable.

It seems that this street sign was spotted by a Google Street View camera car somewhere in Vancouver. We're not sure how it got there or if it's nothing more than a funny prank, but it is most definitely real. Oh, and for the record, the proper medical term is really Elephantiasis (thanks, Wikipedia!).

[Source: Google Street View via Jalopnik]

Google Street View confirms Elephantitis strikes deer population in Canada originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Circuit Logic: Mazda captures Laguna Seca on Google Street View

Noah Joseph — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology, Mazda

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Google StreetView - Click above to jump to the interactive map

Looking for a corkscrew? If it's a bottle of wine you're looking to open, we're afraid we can't help you there, pal. But if you want to take an interactive look at one of America's best race tracks, Mazda and Google have come to the rescue.

The Japanese automaker has captured the Laguna Seca race track (which it sponsors) from every which angle and placed it on Google Street View, making it the first circuit available on the online service. The interactive feature allows you to check out the track from start to finish, Andretti hairpin to the famous Corkscrew downhill kink, all from the comfort of your own home. In fact, we've placed the widget together with the press release right after the jump for your convenience, along with a brace of high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Laguna Seca on Google StreetView

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Circuit Logic: Mazda captures Laguna Seca on Google Street View

Circuit Logic: Mazda captures Laguna Seca on Google Street View originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Woodward 2009: Google watching the watchers!

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Chevrolet, Misc. Auto Shows

Google street view car watching the watchers - Click above for high-res image gallery

As we strolled down Woodward Ave. this morning shooting all the the wild and wacky machinery idling along, we spotted a little gray Chevy Cobalt on the opposite side of the street. While everyone is welcome to participate in the Woodward Dream Cruise, this was no ordinary Cobalt. It sprouted an absurdly tall rig from its roof that instantly gave it away as a Google Street View machine. It's not clear if the driver was just enjoying the ride or actually collecting data that will appear in Google Maps soon, so we'll be checking frequently in the coming weeks to see if the Woodward Dream Cruise has gotten the Google treatment.

Gallery: Woodward 2009: Google Street View camera car

Woodward 2009: Google watching the watchers! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Street View switching to trikes for roads less traveled

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Europe, Technology

Google has already faced plenty of issues with its Street View technology, not the least of which has been angry Japanese citizens and invasion of privacy lawsuits from Americans whose driveways were mistaken for a roads. Beyond these unforeseen issues, there's also the rather obvious problem of taking images of places a Chevy Cobalt just can't reach. Consider that problem (at least partially) solved with the new Google Trike.

The three-wheeled, human-powered overgrown tricycles carry 250 pounds of ballast in the form of "a mounted Street View camera and a specially decorated box containing image collecting gadgetry," says the internet giant. All that extra heft reportedly requires a "specially trained super fit" rider.

Google's new trikes will be deployed first in Genoa, Italy, this spring. Assuming that launch proves successful, Google will send its pedal-powered cameras to the United Kingdom, where they'll point their lenses towards a slew of famous British landmarks. Have a good one in mind? Google says its open to suggestions and will be working with VisitBritain to pick the most desirable locations to shoot.

To assuage those averse to getting their pictures taken, Google promises to "apply our face-blurring and license plate blurring to all these images to protect people's privacy."

[Source: Google via Wired]

Continue reading Google Street View switching to trikes for roads less traveled

Google Street View switching to trikes for roads less traveled originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 May 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Google forced to re-shoot all of Japan's StreetView images [w/POLL]

John Neff — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Japan

We happen to love Google StreetView for the fun things that can be found using the free service. Ugly Buicks, Porsches testing in Colorado and even a rare split-window Corvette barn find are just a few of the many, many things uncovered by Google's free service, which snaps 360-degree images at eye level using specially equipped cars with roof-mounted cameras. Of course, there are going to be privacy concerns when you hire people to drive around with a camera on a stick and take pictures, and complaints coming out of Japan have reportedly forced Google to go back to the drawing board and reshoot the entire country.

The complaints center around the fact that the camera taking pictures is mounted high enough to see over fences and into yards, thereby violating certain expectations of privacy. Google has already shot 12 major Japanese cities, including Tokyo, but will be scrapping everything and starting over after modifications have been made to the camera mounts to lower their field of vision. Google StreetView was recently banned in Greece over privacy issues and other regions around the world have also not looked kindly on being invaded by the all-seeing swarm of Google cars. How do you see it?

View Poll

[Source: JapanToday.com, Photo by carolmond | CC2.0]

REPORT: Google forced to re-shoot all of Japan's StreetView images [w/POLL] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 May 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google StreetView inspires copycat Smart ForTwo police patrol in UK

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:39:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, UK

After revolutionizing search, advertising, and e-mail, Google is changing the way police in Greater Manchester keep track of motorists: Filming them a la StreetView.

After having seen Google's StreetView car doing its Cylon sweep of everything, everywhere, the local authorities were apparently inspired to outfit Smart ForTwos with high-rise cameras to capture data. The cars will focus their views near "a high occurrence of 'driver distraction' collisions and where officers have regularly observed offenses being committed."

The police aren't trying to hide anything -- the ForTwos are evidently outfitted in official livery, and besides, there's that gigantic telephone pole of a camera mast sticking out of the roof as a less-than-subtle tipoff. What the police are hoping is that you won't be able to hide anything, either.

The surveiling Smart cars are only part of a pilot program for now, but you can bet that if they're effective, you've only seen the beginning of them.

Thanks, Google...

[Source: Daily Mail via CNET | Image: Manchester Evening News]

Google StreetView inspires copycat Smart ForTwo police patrol in UK originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Street View catches flock of Ferraris in natural habitat

Alex Nunez — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Europe, Supercars, Ferrari

Click the above image for a closer look at the assembled Ferraris

Man, the Google Street View Driver got an eyeful the day he drove by this Maranello Moment. And he captured it all for posterity (and Google Maps) to boot. The gaggle of F430 Scuderias and 360 Challenge Stradales is impressive enough. Throw in the five F40s, three Enzos and a lone F50, and you have yourself a proper stampede of prancing horses. The Street View photos do two things. First, they reinforce our belief that the F40 is infinitely cooler than both its hyper-exotic successors. Second, they have us thinking that on this particular day, Rome's Piazza Santiago del Cile was probably the best-sounding place on planet Earth. Thanks for the tip, Bennayd!

Gallery: Ferraris on Google Street View

[Source: Google Maps]

Google Street View catches flock of Ferraris in natural habitat originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google StreetView uncovers split-window Corvette "barn find"

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Chevrolet

This is no way to treat a 1963 Corvette split-window coupe. Found in Washington by one of Google StreetView's drones, there's actually no barn to this barn find, just a car left sitting in the gray mist that folks in the Pacific Northwest call "weather."

This Corvette had a 12-year shelf life, and then according to the owner, it's "been veggin' on the spot since '75." If you are interested, it's one of the fuel injected models and comes with an extra engine and other parts. Of course, if it's been sitting there for 34 years, it could fall to pieces when you try to move it... and you'll probably find more than a few dead (or perturbed) animals lurking thereabouts. But that wouldn't stop you, would it? Check out the gallery below of this forlorn '63 Vette.

Gallery: Abandoned 1963 Corvette

[Source: Corvette Blogger]

Google StreetView uncovers split-window Corvette "barn find" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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They're Watching: Google StreetView catches Porsches testing in Colorado

Noah Joseph — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Technology, Porsche

There's no hiding these days from Big Brother. The nutcases in the tin-foil hats would tell you there never was, but now even automakers have to watch out. Development teams out testing prototypes on public roads used to have to watch out for professional spy photographers, but with the advent camera phones and now Google Street View, there's no hiding anywhere. That's what the boys at Garage419 discovered when they found shots of several Porsche prototypes on service while searching for a good driving road in Colorado.

Hard to tell much from the shots of the Boxsters, Caymans and 911s, except to say that the automakers' dev teams and the paparazzi alike have a new kid on the block to watch out for.

[Source: Garage419]

They're Watching: Google StreetView catches Porsches testing in Colorado originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Street Driveway View

Alex Nunez — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Google Street View is a cool Google Maps feature, but it would appear that one of the Street View driver/camera operators in the Pittsburgh, PA area needs to exercise a little more common sense when recording the lay of the land. The same might be said for some of the admins who actually publish the Street View imagery to the Google web farm mothership. The Smoking Gun references Aaron and Christine Boring's lawsuit filed against Google for invading their privacy via a Street View image of their home (Google calls the litigation "unfortunate" and says it has "no merit"). The search giant has since yanked the offending photo, but TSG points out that a neighboring home also got the Extremely Up Close And Personal Treatment courtesy of one of the camera-equipped Chevy Cobalts.

The latter property belongs to the McKee family. Theirs is the only home on Goldenbrook Lane, a gravel path that becomes a paved driveway marking where the McKee's private property begins. As you can see from the top photo, the transition is plainly obvious. The Street View car drove down the driveway, right to the family's garage, shooting all the way. As a result, anyone surfing Google Maps could take a virtual walk from the nearest cross-street, down the driveway, and up to the McKee's kids' trampoline. That's not cool, and for her part, Mrs. McKee described the idea of someone filming their home in this manner as being "a little creepy." Gee, ya think? Even if the photos were taken as a result of a driver misunderstanding (perhaps he didn't know he'd be dead-ended in a private residence's driveway), the intrusive images never should have been published. Who's vetting this stuff?

The Smoking Gun has a full step-by-step gallery posted here.

[Source: The Smoking Gun, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Google ~~Street~~ Driveway View originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smile! That Cobalt could be a Google StreetView Camera Car

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Chevrolet

As long as everybody is on to them, Google is apparently set to step out of their surveillance vans and greet the world in a fleet of shiny new Cobalts. A Gizmodo reader happened to spot a StreetView camera van finishing a round of picture taking duty and followed it back to Google's Mountain View, California campus. While driving through the Google lot he spotted several dozen Cobalts with funky antennae on their roofs. It seems these Chevy sedanlets will be the new fleet for the next round of Google Maps StreetView captures. The "Quad Cs" (Chevy Cobalt Camera Cars) will likely be unleashed in the near future to complete Google's mission of capturing the entire Earth, on camera at least.

[Source: Gizmodo]

Smile! That Cobalt could be a Google StreetView Camera Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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