Apple has confirmed that that camera-laden van driving around your town is part of a Maps project, not a self-driving car project. The company is even listing when the vans will be in specific areas.
Apple now has a webpage showing where its Maps vans will be between June 15 and June 30, which includes parts of Ireland and England, as well as cities in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
Apple said it is “driving vehicles around the world to collect data which will be used to improve Apple Maps. Some of this data will be published in future Apple Maps updates.” The company also said it will protect privacy by blurring faces and license plates in the data its vans collect.
Apple’s Maps effort currently includes walking and driving directions, business information, and will soon include detailed transit directions, too. Given that the vans include multiple cameras, it’s a safe bet Apple is working on bringing a street view feature to Maps.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via The Mac Observer
One reply on “Apple confirms traveling camera vans part of Maps data collection effort”
Okay, this is funny… Last Friday (June 5) I was driving a friend home in Alameda, CA, when we passed a vehicle that looked just like this. I recognized that it had to be a street view type of situation based on the odd gear on the roof, but thought it was a new form of Google street view.
Which means that my blue leaf might be showing up in a future Apple maps street view. Kinda cool! 🙂