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As the COVID-19 pandemic has somehow forced many people to stay in their homes, it looks like Google is harnessing the power of people to help give Google Maps’ awesome Street View functionality a new ‘driving mode’.
Google Street View cars are pretty iconic and sport a livery that makes them really impressive when you’re outside. Obviously, with travel restrictions and access issues in some areas, this “drive mode” can help people contribute without the need for a 360-degree camera – which can often be expensive.
This new feature was spotted by a user on Reddit, and it looks like “Driving View” allows you to mount your phone on your in-car dashboard, your ride will then be recorded and uploaded to the Street View online database. without the need for a 360 degree roof rack camera. Any faces or people captured during the trips will have their identity blurred. External contributions to Google Maps and Street View are nothing new, but removing the 360-degree camera barrier would be a really smart move.
We imagine that this potential “way of driving” will allow Google to keep Street View up to date, reduce lingering privacy concerns, and more openly contribute to the world’s best navigation system in the form of Google. Plans. While many countries still do not have “full” map and street view coverage, this driving style will allow rural areas and those without extensive coverage to develop in the years to come.
No information was shared on whether or when the Drive View could be rolled out more widely to Street View users. We can’t see the Ride Mode on our own devices, but some in the original Reddit thread claim they have the option on their devices. Hopefully the option will be tested a bit more before a wider rollout, as this could be a really powerful community tool that will help improve Google Maps around the world.
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