USA Today: Google’s photo-taking trike now on bike trails
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor) on June 10th, 2009 at 10:34 am
for their StreetView feature.
(Photo: Google)
Imagine using the popular Streetview function of Google Maps on your favorite local bike path.
Well, according to an article published today in USA Today, that might be possible sooner than you think.
Google made waves back in May when images of their new photo-trike hit the Internet.
Some people immediately realized that the smaller footprint of the trike (they typically use cars) would allow Google to expand their Streetview offering to off-highway paths. Now, USA Today reports that they’ve deployed the trike to a bike trail in Monterey, California.
From the article:
“Much of the world is inaccessible to the car,” says Daniel Ratner, a Google senior engineer who designed the trike. “We want to get access to places people find important.”
Speaking about backlash Google has had in some places over privacy issues related to Streetview, a marketing expert told USA Today:
‘You’re freaked out by Street View, well, look at this. What’s not to like about biking and hiking trails?’ It makes the whole project now seem warm and fuzzy.”
I love that bike trails are “places people find important” and that marketing experts say things like “what’s not to like?” about them.
Wondering if/when the trikes might show up in Portland? The Oregonian’s Joseph Rose says he met a Google rep during a recent trip to Washington D.C. who told him they’re on their way.
Stay tuned, we might have Streetviews of the Esplanade and the Springwater sooner than you think.
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