Apple drives vehicles to collect data to improve Maps

Apple Inc. said it was driving vehicles around the world to collect data that will be used to improve Apple Maps. The company has given driving locations on its website for June 15-30 which include Ireland, England and several cites in the United States. Apple said it would blur faces and license plates on collected images prior to publication to protect privacy. The camera-equipped vehicles deployed by Apple will give its Maps app functions similar to Google Inc’s Street View. Street View, launched in 2007, gives users a panoramic imagery of public roads. The service automatically detects and blurs identifiable faces and vehicle number plates.

We are committed to protecting your privacy while collecting this data.

Apple wrote on its webpage

Despite its improvements, Apple Maps still has a ways to go to catch up to its archival Google Maps, which includes more features, including Street View, and is generally still viewed as a more reliable option. That battle with Google Maps isn’t lost on Apple. Google Maps is a target, and Apple is using Street View as a means to match its top competitor.