Google Streetview Goes Green with Awesome Trike

Photo: GoogleIt Took a Technology Company to Go This Low-Tech...Google Streetview is usually built from images captured by a car driving around with a special multi-directional camera (as you can see in this post about a Google Streetview Prius getting a ticket). But there are some roads where cars can't go, many of which are actually much better looking and more interesting than your average road (is there a correlation you think?), so Google devised a special Streetview Trike that only "specially trained super fit Google employees and contractors" can ride. Read on for more details.Photo: GoogleFirst Italy, Then the UKGoogle says:

The trike will be starting in Genoa, Italy where we'll be making the most of the good weather to collect images. The trike is expected to land on British shores later in the summer.

Due to operational factors such as light levels and the weather (and what could be a pretty tired cyclist), the trike will only be in the UK for a limited time during the summer. Images collected by the trike will be processed and carefully stitched together, a technological process that can take several months. They will be made available at a later date in Street View on Google Maps.

So don't expect to see images from the Trike on Streetview too soon, but we hope that Google will expand the project and use more than one trike around the world to document places where cars can't (and shouldn't) go.

Here's a video of the Google trike in Italy:

People in the UK can submit public landmarks that they'd like the trike to visit by going to this page.

Also check out: The Google Maps Prius Hybrid Car Gets a Ticket

Via Google UK, WIRED, ABG, GroovyGreenMore Pedal PowerSuccess! Video of New York City's Bike to Work DayAwesome! Abandoned Railroad Gets Converted in Biking and Walking Path in DetroitEmployers, Here's How You Can Create a Bike-Friendly OfficeEmployers, Here's How You Can Create a Bike-Friendly Office