Sources of photography
Street View photos come from two sources, Google and our contributors.
Our Content
Content from contributors
Our Content
Our Content
Google-owned content credits “Street View” or “Google Maps.” We automatically blur faces and license plates in our imagery.
Policy Details
Content from contributors
Content from contributors
User-contributed content accompanies a clickable/tappable account name, and in some cases, a profile photo.
Policy details
Contribute to Street View
Where we are mapping this month
We drive and trek around the world to bring you imagery that enhances your experience and helps you discover the world around you. If you want to wave at our team, check out below when they'll be coming to a location near you.
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Because of factors outside our control (weather, road closures, etc), it is always possible that our cars may not be operating, or that slight changes may occur. Please also be aware that where the list specifies a particular city, this may include smaller cities and towns that are within driving distance.
A fleet prepared to uncover the world's wonders
We've visited incredible places on all seven continents and there is more to come. Before we hit the road, we consider many factors including the terrain, climate conditions, and population density to deploy just the right fleet and collect the best imagery.
Street View car
Equipped with a camera system on the roof, the Street View car is our most used equipment for collecting imagery and has helped us capture more than 10 million miles around the world, including a horse eating a banana.
Trekker
This portable camera system can be used as a backpack or mounted on top of a pickup truck, a snowmobile or a motorbike. It enables us to collect imagery in narrow streets or in places we can only reach on foot, like the Inca citadel Machu Picchu.
Bringing maps to life
After we're done collecting the imagery, it's time to bring it all to your screen. Here's a glimpse of what our team is doing backstage.
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Collecting imagery
First off we need to actually drive around and photograph the locations to show in Street View. We pay close attention to many factors, including the weather and the population density of various areas, to determine when and where we can collect the best possible imagery.
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Aligning imagery
To match each image to its geographic location on the map, we combine signals from sensors on the car that measure GPS, speed and direction. This helps us reconstruct the car’s exact route, and even tilt and realign images as needed.
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Turning photos into 360 photos
To avoid gaps in the 360 photos, adjacent cameras take slightly overlapping pictures, and then we ‘stitch’ the photos together into a single 360 degree image. We then apply special image processing algorithms to lessen ‘seams’ and create smooth transitions.
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Showing you the right image
How quickly the car's lasers reflect off surfaces tells us how far a building or an object is, and helps us build a 3D model of the world. When you move to an area in the distance in Street View, this model determines the best panorama to show you for that location.
Collecting imagery
First off we need to actually drive around and photograph the locations to show in Street View. We pay close attention to many factors, including the weather and the population density of various areas, to determine when and where we can collect the best possible imagery.
Aligning imagery
To match each image to its geographic location on the map, we combine signals from sensors on the car that measure GPS, speed and direction. This helps us reconstruct the car’s exact route, and even tilt and realign images as needed.
Turning photos into 360 photos
To avoid gaps in the 360 photos, adjacent cameras take slightly overlapping pictures, and then we ‘stitch’ the photos together into a single 360 degree image. We then apply special image processing algorithms to lessen ‘seams’ and create smooth transitions.
Showing you the right image
How quickly the car's lasers reflect off surfaces tells us how far a building or an object is, and helps us build a 3D model of the world. When you move to an area in the distance in Street View, this model determines the best panorama to show you for that location.
Where we’ve been
The blue areas on the map show where Street View is available. Zoom in for greater detail, or browse on Google Maps.
Learn more
