Google's Street View

I was playing with Google's Street View function in Google Maps, and I am amazed at how good it is. There isn't coverage in my immediate neighborhood, but much of my local area is.

Here for example is a side-view of the Maple and Old Woodward intersection in Birmingham, a place I like to go now and then.


What Google does is have cars drive around with roof mounted cameras, snapping photos that then get stitched together to form 360 degree views, and linked to their street location.

Google has also photographed a large number of neighborhoods, and I was able to find up-close photographs of my parent's house, and my in-laws house. I'm guessing those obsessed with their privacy are alarmed by this.