Prepare to don your shades. Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is sending its fleet Street View cars and trikes back out in to the field in Europe, having earlier been grounded to remove controversial equipment that collected WiFi data.
Google says it will “fill some of the gaps in our coverage, and add a few special sites”, plus “photographing much-requested locations such as parks and tourist spots”.
“Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland also took to the roads this week,” a spokesperson tells paidContent:UK. “Trikes, weather permitting, will be in most of these countries where we’re driving – trying to make the most of the sun before it becomes impossible to take photos!”
Google had already photographed most main UK streets, to initial sceptical headlines. This time, it’s making a point of inviting local councils and “other relevant bodies” to sign up to ensure their high streets are photographed.
Via the Street View Partnerships Programme, institutions can ask Google to photograph their facilities free of charge.
Says Google: “Having removed this equipment, our cars in will only be collecting photos and 3D imagery, as they have done before.”