Google's new street-view camera can fit on any car; to launch next year

Google Street View is celebrating its 15 year anniversary and to celebrate this, the tech company has developed a new Street View Camera that is small enough to fit on any vehicle. The camera has been described as something that is roughly the same size as a housecat and weighs just 15 pounds or seven kgs. The new camera is still in pilot mode.

The tech giant will get all of the power and resolution of an entire Street View Car into the unit, and will shrink it down to something that’s small enough to easily be lifted by a human. The camera is set to launch next year and is small enough to be shipped pretty much anywhere around the globe. This will also make it an ideal device to be used by partners in areas that have not been mapped as extensively, for example the Amazon rainforest.

The new Google Street View camera can be easily attached to any roof rack and users will be able to operate it with a mobile device. This implies that vehicles won't need to be specialized in an extensive way and users won't need any complex processing equipment. This will also allow Google to add hybrids and EVs to its fleet of vehicles.

The lidar-based camera system will be able to collect imagery with even more detail and will also be able to add customization. Things like lane markings, speed limits, and even potholes will be seen by the camera. With these new features, Google's Maps and Street View programs will become even more useful. The company plans to use AI to make its Maps as up-to-date as possible and Live View will allow users to overlay directions over the real world with augmented reality.