Google Street View: How Long Are Updates?

  • Thread starter jtbell
  • Start date
In summary: Google has some driverless cars on the road in nevada. The are still required to have two people in the vehicles.
  • #1
jtbell
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
15,907
5,578
As I was walking back to my office from lunch a few days ago, along one of the main streets in my town, I saw a car approaching, with a 3-foot stalk sprouting out of the roof, and a blue ball with several apertures on top of that. It passed me, and I saw a sign on the side reading "Google [something]".

I wonder how long it takes for Google to update its Street View database. :smile: The current images for that street are dated March 2009.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2


I've been wondering about this phenomenon since I first became aware of it.

I just googled London, for example, zoomed in on the Waterloo bridge, and followed it partway across, seeing many pedestrians on the way. Most of their faces are too fuzzy to identify, but many could, possibly, be identified by distinct clothing.

At some point I wonder if the outcome of some criminal case won't depend on placing someone, or their car, somewhere, because the google cam happened to be in the neighborhood around the time of the crime.

A suspect's guilt could be thrown in serious doubt if google's image shows his car to have been miles away from the crime, or his guilt could be cinched if he claims he was far away, but google shows he was actually parked around the corner from the crime.
 
  • #3


I believe someone was allegedly caught cheating on their spouse because their vehicle was caught by google outside their lovers place or something along those lines.
 
  • #4


I once saw the Google car coming and stood waving with a friend, we saw it a little while later and did the same. After a year the footage finally went up...and we weren't in it :frown: we were cut between two series of pictures it seemed.
 
  • #7


What would happen if the google car were traveling in a high traffic area and could only drive at a speed of approx 3 miles per hour for about a mile. Could you then walk for jog beside it and be in every google map picture frame for that mile? That would be strange and awesome.
 
  • #8


Jimmy Snyder said:
According to that map they haven't viewed my street yet. So I can continue to fool around. No wait, they viewed my girlfriend's street. Yikes, that's my wife's car! I'll see you later guys. I got to run.
:smile:
 
  • #9


Also, as hardware on/in the roaming Google cars records current street views it's possibly recording unencrypted data from wireless home computers.

(I got this from an issue of The Week magazine, and have no idea if it's true.)
 
  • #10


TheStatutoryApe said:
I believe someone was allegedly caught cheating on their spouse because their vehicle was caught by google outside their lovers place or something along those lines.
That was reported last year or a couple of years ago. I believe that is one reason that details of vehicles and people are blurred or removed.

Interestingly, Google photographed the house where I lived with my folks more than 50 years ago on the south coast of Vic, Aus. It is a small town, with a population of about 1800, but when I lived there, there was probably 200-300 people.

Why they photographed that place and not other more populated places seems rather strange.
 
  • #11


That was reported last year or a couple of years ago. I believe that is one reason that details of vehicles and people are blurred or removed.
How do they specify what they'll blur out?
 
  • #12
Last edited:
  • #13


ThomasT said:
Also, as hardware on/in the roaming Google cars records current street views it's possibly recording unencrypted data from wireless home computers.

(I got this from an issue of The Week magazine, and have no idea if it's true.)

Google claimed that the data from home computers was collected accidentally and paid a fine.

http://techland.time.com/2011/03/21/google-fined-142000-for-collecting-private-data/
 
  • #14


Google has some driverless cars on the road in nevada. The are still required to have two people in the vehicles.

http://www.doubleclickblog.com/nevada-becomes-first-us-state-to-allow-googles-driverless-cars-on-roads/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nevada-becomes-first-us-state-to-allow-googles-driverless-cars-on-roads [Broken]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #15


edward said:
Google claimed that the data from home computers was collected accidentally and paid a fine.
Ah yes, the old "that 25 terabytes of data was collected accidentally" defense. As I recall the fine was something like $25k. That's like a day's coffee money for Google. I suspect that they might still be doing what they got fined for. Not that it's being done with any sort of bad or necessarily intrusive intentions.
 
  • #16


I've seen that Google street-view privacy page, so I was expecting that if my face could have been recognizable, they'd blur it. I probably look like most any other slightly overweight gray-haired guy in a baseball-type cap anyway. But I was the only person on that stretch of sidewalk for at least a block in either direction, and I was carrying a rolled-up umbrella, so if I'm in there at all, I'll know it.
 
  • #17


I love Google street view. I recently toured the neighborhood where I grew up. It looks exactly the same as I remember it from 50 years ago ... except for the houses that aren't there any more because of the interstate highway.
 
  • #18


ThomasT said:
I love Google street view. I recently toured the neighborhood where I grew up. It looks exactly the same as I remember it from 50 years ago ... except for the houses that aren't there any more because of the interstate highway.
The second house I lived in had been demolished and a parking lot was built in its place. :frown:

The third house used to look out on open fields. It now has a major freeway running past it.
 
  • #19


You have to admit, the idea of "hey, let's drive down every road in the world (practically) panoramically photographing the whole thing and meshing it into google maps" sounded a bit far fetched back in 2007.
 
  • #21
jtbell said:
As I was walking back to my office from lunch a few days ago, along one of the main streets in my town, I saw a car approaching, with a 3-foot stalk sprouting out of the roof, and a blue ball with several apertures on top of that. It passed me, and I saw a sign on the side reading "Google [something]".

It saw me:

attachment.php?attachmentid=50200&stc=1&d=1345986178.jpg


I don't remember the last time I previously checked Google Street View unsuccessfully, but it was probably about a bit over a month ago. So it took about three months for this image to go into their database.
 

Attachments

  • google.jpg
    google.jpg
    44.1 KB · Views: 482
Last edited:
  • #22

1. How often does Google Street View get updated?

Google Street View is updated on an ongoing basis, with new imagery and data being added regularly. The frequency of updates can vary depending on the location and availability of new data.

2. How long does it take for new images to appear on Google Street View?

The time it takes for new images to appear on Google Street View can also vary, but typically it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after the data has been captured.

3. Can I request for a specific area to be updated on Google Street View?

Yes, you can submit a request for a specific area to be updated on Google Street View. However, there is no guarantee that your request will be fulfilled as it depends on the availability of new data and the prioritization of updates by Google.

4. How far back can I view images on Google Street View?

The available imagery on Google Street View can date back to 2007, when the service was first launched. However, the frequency of updates means that some locations may have more recent images available.

5. How accurate are the images on Google Street View?

The accuracy of images on Google Street View can vary depending on the location and the quality of the data used. In general, the images are geographically accurate and can provide a good representation of the area, but they may not always be up-to-date or show real-time conditions.

Similar threads

  • Computing and Technology
Replies
9
Views
4K
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
28
Views
7K
  • General Discussion
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • General Discussion
Replies
1
Views
8K
  • STEM Academic Advising
2
Replies
54
Views
4K
  • General Discussion
Replies
16
Views
4K
Replies
7
Views
4K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
28
Views
13K
Back
Top