Today I Remember - Street (and Path!) Mapping
Street mapping is a crucial aspect of online mapping engines such as Google Maps and Apple Maps. It allows users to view streets and neighborhoods from the comfort of their own devices. But have you ever thought about how these companies collect their mapping data?
Recently, I had a personal experience with Apple Maps, where a mapping vehicle drove by me and I of course waved (claim to fame). This got me thinking about how much of an operation it must be to complete street mapping for online mapping engines. I mean we are talking about 100,000s of roads here. If not more…
But then I thought, what about trials, paths, no vehicle routes. The scale of that is even larger again. I was only a quick search away from my answer.
Google Maps, for instance, has a program called “Google Street View Trekker”1, which involves a person walking around with a backpack that has a bespoke 360-degree camera attached. This allows them to capture high-quality images of locations where vehicles cannot go, such as hiking trails, pedestrian-only areas, and even the insides of buildings.
While these methods may seem simple, they are part of a larger operation involving thousands of people and vehicles. It has to be regularly updated and assured for quality!