Google to offer street view of Bangalore city

BANGALORE, INDIA: After the successful launch of Street View in the USA and other 100 cities in 27 countries, Google India today announced that it will begin imagery collection in Bangalore for the Street View on Google maps.

Street View allows users to visually explore and navigate a neighborhood through panoramic street-level photographs using Google maps on desktop and mobile.

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Vinay Goel, product head, Google India said, "We decided to start driving in Bangalore because it is the IT capital of India and feel that the IT savvy users will be able to leverage the benefits of the product to the fullest."

Google will collect images of Bangalore streets by driving across the city in specially designed cars and trikes, (three-wheel pedi-cab) which are embedded with high resolution cameras mounted on top.

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Using a special feature called "Pegman" icon, which is available on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted street, users can able to access the images by zooming into the lowest level and allows users to have a 360° degree view of the place, which they are viewing.

Emphasizing on the privacy aspects of the Google Street View, Goel said, we have developed a highly sophisticates technology that effectively blurs human faces and number plates of vehicles to render them unidentifiable.

In addition, we will provide a reporting feedback button, which allows users to report us for any change to blur any images which feature them.

"We are committed to balance the needs of our users with the concerns about security," added Goel.

The Internet search engine company also announced the availability of Google Street View API’s, which allows web developers to embed Street View technology by embedding to Google Maps directly into their sire for free.