:: Google Maps Street View Camera System spotted ::
Some of you have surely used Google Maps, particularly Street View, to either productively and inquisitively look at local metro street scenes — or perhaps wasted some time searching for amusing photos captured by a 360 degree vision camera.
But until now, I haven’t actually seen one of these production cars in action, much less sitting still. Initially, in NYC, Google utilized Immersive Media to capture Gotham City’s street level action; The Dodeca 2360 11-lens camera (MSRP $45,000) was first used to record over 50,000 miles in over a dozen cities across the U.S. to upload into Google Maps.
However, it appears that either Immersive is utilizing different camera systems now, or Google has moved onto to different photographic vendors. Who knows, with as much money that Google has they may have very well invented their own.
Yesterday I happened to spot two idle Google Maps cars parked on Folsom.
:: BerDerp™ :: 
good post. you must tell me more.
Plug1
February 7, 2008 at 7:37 am
This device looks NOTHING like the Dodeca 2360. Did you ever think that because so many people were wondering where these vehicles were and comments were appearing all over the internet that they have never seen one, that Google wouldn’t purposely “plant” a vehicle with a quasi camera on top to be “spotted”. Where are the dudes driving this car? I’m sure they’re not in the Starbucks leaving this $45,000 equipment unattended. When Google first launched this camera they were mounted on Volkswagon beetles(or at least that’s what their propaganda machine stated see: http://dvice.com/archives/2007/05/dodeca-2360-camera-on-top-of-a.php. This is a Chrysler of some kind, no? If they need to take a photo every 20 feet, wouldn’t they be a bitch in traffic? Causing jams behind them (which you never see in a photo). After writing all that I just found http://www.immersivemedia.com/haiti/map/index.html
Joan Shelby
March 24, 2010 at 2:45 pm
First of all, I never said in the post it WAS the Dodeca 2360. I said that the first Google Street View images were taken with the Dodeca 2360 – that this appeared to be a new/different variation of the sort.
Second, this was too far away from the local Starbucks – but I appreciate your snarkiness – and the car in the pictures is a Chevy – not a Chrysler.
The Haiti/Immersivemedia link looks cool, i will check it out.
kapshure
March 24, 2010 at 2:49 pm