Apple Maps Vehicles Collecting 'Look Around' Imagery in Several More Countries

Apple Maps vehicles rigged with LiDAR equipment are collecting street-level imagery and data in several more countries and regions this summer, including Austria, Switzerland, and Hong Kong, according to a list of locations maintained on Apple's website. The vehicles have also returned to Belgium to survey additional regions after focusing on the Brussels area last year.

apple maps vehicle austria

Apple Maps vehicle in Vienna, Austria. Photo submitted by Alexander Schilowsky.

Apple will use the data collected to improve its Maps app and expand its Look Around feature, which is currently limited to parts of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Japan. Introduced in iOS 13, Look Around is similar to Google's Street View, providing 3D street-level imagery that can be zoomed and panned.

Where available, Look Around can be accessed by tapping the binoculars icon in the top-right corner of the Maps app. Look Around also appears in the search results for a supported city, below the Flyover and Directions buttons.

Apple Maps vehicles began surveying efforts in 2015, collecting data in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Singapore, Israel, and select other countries and territories.

On its website, Apple says it is committed to protecting the public's privacy while conducting surveys. For example, Apple blurs out faces and license plates in street-level imagery made available through Look Around.

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Top Rated Comments

mrtnhndl Avatar
50 months ago
Apple Maps vehicle in Upper Austria, 2021-07-24

Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morgenland Avatar
50 months ago
What an enormous effort Apple is daring to make here. I'm thrilled. In 10 years, we will know quite naturally how these image worlds are adapted to changes. And how your city and my small village will also be included.. One can eagerly discuss the most likely update scenarios (your  Car /  Glasses).
Now the world is being resurveyed in an unprecedented topography. Kudos to those responsible for and working on this huge project. Hardly any of us MR readers could put this into the world.

And now the critics may start, I'm out.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ribitsch Avatar
50 months ago
Yaay Austria, finally ??????
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nwcs Avatar
50 months ago
At this rate they’ll be finished in another 60 years but most of them will be decades out of date. They simply need more vehicles or whatever out there doing this to accelerate the pace.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mikey918 Avatar
50 months ago
That’s nice, but can they PLEASE try and focus on data collection outside the same metro areas? Those of us in the suburbs sure would love to be included for once.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
osmar.rodriguez Avatar
50 months ago

Apple will use the data collected to improve its Maps app and expand its Look Around feature ('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/use-look-around-in-maps/'), which is currently limited to parts of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Japan.
Well, Look Around is also available across Spain and Portugal.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)