Google plans to use trucks equipped with lasers and digital photographic equipment to create a realistic 3D online version of San Francisco, and eventually other major US cities. The move would trump Amazon's A9 service, which offers two-dimensional photos of buildings on US city streets.

The trucks would drive along every San Francisco street using the lasers to measure the dimensions of buildings, to create a 3D framework onto which digital photos can be mapped. This would complement the mostly top-down view of San Francisco available through Google's Keyhole satellite photo application.

News source: SiliconValleyWatcher

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    • There are 22 additional comments
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    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by cq_ on 09 Jun 2005 - 15:42
    sounds cool, and I will actually be able to use it
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by nookadum on 09 Jun 2005 - 15:47
    This sounds awesome. 3D maps for all!
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by 2xSilverKnight on 09 Jun 2005 - 15:50
    cool !

    Montreal for when ??
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by OnyxAlien on 09 Jun 2005 - 15:57
    This feature will be excellent competition for the "eagle-eye view" of Microsoft's Virtual Earth. Check the video!
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Colin-uk on 09 Jun 2005 - 16:03
    probly take them a while for them to do a UK version then
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by AethylFilth on 09 Jun 2005 - 16:04
    sounds a little excessive, but pretty cool
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by TheSarge on 09 Jun 2005 - 16:26
    This doesn't doesn't sound very practical to me. What do they do if someone tears down a building? Send out a truck?
    Congratulations, Google: You just created a small new industry.
    You can expect the teamsers union to be knocking on your door shortly.
    (1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by headless_armadillo on 09 Jun 2005 - 16:49
    Finally, the time has come. Google are FINALLY using lasers! I knew it wouldn't be long.
    Quote this comment #8.1 Posted by M2Ys4U on 09 Jun 2005 - 17:06
    haha
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by Mongrel on 09 Jun 2005 - 17:12
    Sweeeet, it starts. Been waiting for someone to do this - imagine how the perfection of the technology will advance and speed up game design!
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by .:YodaGP:. on 09 Jun 2005 - 17:15
    Amazing. Google will take the world over soon enough!
    (1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #11 Posted by dhan on 09 Jun 2005 - 17:22
    what ? nobody accusing Google copying Microsoft now ?
    Quote this comment #11.1 Posted by Arkle on 09 Jun 2005 - 17:59
    Of course not. Google's the good company that can't do a thing wrong! Microsoft are the evil ones remember...
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #12 Posted by lylesback2 on 09 Jun 2005 - 19:05
    thats awesome! cool move by google... another pointless thing they can do, because they have the money for it
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #13 Posted by Timmah on 09 Jun 2005 - 19:13
    Welcome to planet Google
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #14 Posted by Joshie on 09 Jun 2005 - 19:32
    This reminds me of something I saw in a GPS unit when I was in Tokyo. It displayed a 3D first-person view, including rendered buildings, as you traveled, and highlighted each turn you'd take as they neared. At the time I thought it was just a feature of GPS.
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #15 Posted by Matt on 09 Jun 2005 - 21:23
    sounds pretty cool. id like to see what will happen with this project.
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #16 Posted by feelgood13 on 09 Jun 2005 - 21:35
    oh geez.. nothing more faggoty than google fanboys! i'll tolerate a firefag before i get used to you guys...
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #17 Posted by cpu121 on 09 Jun 2005 - 21:53
    And no doubt women will still manage to get lost.
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #18 Posted by KC on 10 Jun 2005 - 00:10
    Will it map the people standing by the building too?

    Yeah the women will still get lost.
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #19 Posted by tiagosilva29 on 10 Jun 2005 - 03:37
    I want those things in Europe, ASAP.
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #20 Posted by shao on 10 Jun 2005 - 08:20
    they say trucks with lasers?.. i hear 'tanks of the future'
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