(Pocket-Lint) – Google Street View is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, which originally came on May 24, 2007.
It has grown significantly over the past decade and a half, covering more than 100 countries and territories today. Now it has plans to expand its reach, thanks to a new Street View camera that is much more portable than anything used so far.
The new camera is currently being piloted for the full rollout planned next year. It has the same technology – including resolution, power and processing – as Google’s Street View car camera, but it’s only a fraction of the size. Google itself describes it as “the size of a house cat” and weighs just 15 pounds (6.8 kg).
This will enable street view operatives to take pictures on the top of the hill or simply through a local town square where cars cannot go.
The camera is also modular, so over time new functions and features can be added, such as a leader sensor to scan more complex details such as lane markings and holes.
It can be attached to any vehicle, including a roof rack, and since it is connected to a mobile device, it can be operated remotely.
Oh, and it looks a bit like Wall-E. So if you see someone traveling on your street, you will understand what it is.
Rick Henderson writes.
