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NAVTEQ TRUE Streetview / Lidar Car Spotted

I just spotted one of NAVTEQ’s street view cars on the road outside the Verizon center near Chinatown in Washington, DC:

IMAG0204

With its wild rotating camera set-up, I figured I had better take a look around and see if this was the piece of niftiness behind Bing Maps’ new lidar-based 3D street-view imaging.  Found the following JUST AMAZING video explaining their 3D imaging process:

 

EDIT 11/13/12: I just found myself taking this photo of the Navteq car on Bing maps, a year after the fact!  I’m the silly looking fellow in the yellow shirt snapping the above photo.

Navteq car takes my photo while I take his photo.

Navteq car takes my photo while I take his photo.

About turbotad

My name is Tad Reeves, and I am a certified AEM Dev/Ops Engineer, cycling enthusiast, train & transit junkie, and father of three. I’m currently an Adobe Experience Manager Architect, consulting for ICF Next, as well as for other companies.

21 comments on “NAVTEQ TRUE Streetview / Lidar Car Spotted

  1. monty
    May 24, 2011

    I saw one near the Glenmont Metro, just off of Georgia Ave. yesterday.

  2. Paul Cone
    August 31, 2011

    Spotted in Portland, Oregon yesterday.

  3. Gene
    September 8, 2011

    Saw the saw here in Dallas yesterday! Googled it and found your blog.

  4. lg008823
    September 15, 2011

    Munich, Germany, Sept. 15th!

  5. Freya, Teego & Chatzi
    October 12, 2011

    spotted in Orpington, kent, UK today.

  6. Kristian Bowbrick
    October 19, 2011

    Saw it today outside the Fire Sataion in Walton on Thames, Surrey, UK.

  7. Daniel
    February 9, 2012

    Nashville, TN – February 9, 2012

  8. N4OZ
    February 28, 2012

    I spotted the Navteq car around midday today just south of Nashville on Murfeesboro Rd in Antioch TN. The woman driving it appeared to be frustrated/lost as she changed lanes frequently and looped around near the intersection at Una Antioch Rd.

    Hard to miss with the tall pod extended and angled mirrors catching the sun as they rotated quickly. If I’d hadn’t fumbled the iPhone video mode I would have some great pics to share.

    N4OZ

  9. AFTAB.HAQUE
    April 11, 2012

    spotted ol8 4by uk on 11/4/12

  10. OH2GXN
    May 7, 2012

    Helsinki 7.5.2012. Google has this http://g.co/maps/msd9z , and soon Navteq will have similar pics with me in it.

  11. Michael
    May 17, 2012

    Saw one of those cars on Long Island a few days ago.

  12. Rob
    June 19, 2012

    San Diego, California June 5

  13. Rob
    June 19, 2012

    And strangely enough, the Google Maps car was five minutes behind. They both followed the same path, passing in front of Kansas City BBQ going both ways…very weird.

  14. shuvendu
    July 2, 2012

    i found one in Columbus, Oh today.

  15. newsjunkie89
    August 1, 2012

    Saw one in Sacramento, CA today… I’m still trying to figure out where I can see their street views online? Cannot seem to find? Any Help?

    • Hugh Madbraugh
      August 8, 2012

      Navteq supplies Bing with map data. Not sure if it’s for streetview (refuse to install Silverlight to find out), but it probably takes some time for them to go through all the data and then make it available.

  16. Kris
    October 3, 2012

    Saw one today near Glasgow in Scotland

  17. Bryan
    October 24, 2012

    Saw one in downtown Lansing in the early afternoon mapping all the streets. Came accross the car 4 different times while walking around downtown.

  18. Eric
    October 30, 2012

    Saw one in Marseille, France last month 🙂

  19. Larry Scott
    November 5, 2012

    There is one traveling around Knoxville today.

  20. Cindy
    November 13, 2012

    That is an awesome case of mutual picture-taking.

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This entry was posted on May 5, 2011 by in technology and tagged , , , , , , , , , .