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

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.

Comments

monty — May 24, 2011 at 11:25 am

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

Paul Cone — August 31, 2011 at 2:35 pm

Spotted in Portland, Oregon yesterday.

Gene — September 8, 2011 at 3:58 pm

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

lg008823 — September 15, 2011 at 12:25 pm

Munich, Germany, Sept. 15th!

Freya, Teego & Chatzi — October 12, 2011 at 4:43 pm

spotted in Orpington, kent, UK today.

Kristian Bowbrick — October 19, 2011 at 8:22 pm

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

Daniel — February 9, 2012 at 4:54 pm

Nashville, TN – February 9, 2012

N4OZ — February 28, 2012 at 11:59 pm

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

AFTAB.HAQUE — April 11, 2012 at 11:17 pm

spotted ol8 4by uk on 11/4/12

OH2GXN — May 7, 2012 at 7:49 pm

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

Michael — May 17, 2012 at 1:06 am

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

Rob — June 19, 2012 at 10:39 pm

San Diego, California June 5

Rob — June 19, 2012 at 10:41 pm

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.

shuvendu — July 2, 2012 at 7:08 pm

i found one in Columbus, Oh today.

newsjunkie89 — August 1, 2012 at 6:29 am

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?

Kris — October 3, 2012 at 3:18 pm

Saw one today near Glasgow in Scotland

Bryan — October 24, 2012 at 6:28 pm

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

Eric — October 30, 2012 at 7:10 pm

Saw one in Marseille, France last month 🙂

Larry Scott — November 5, 2012 at 3:56 pm

There is one traveling around Knoxville today.

Cindy — November 13, 2012 at 10:02 pm

That is an awesome case of mutual picture-taking.