Google Maps has selected the route of the 2008 Tour de France to premier its new “Street View” service in Europe. Viewers get a 360 degree view of the roads of the principle stages of the Tour de France. Tour afficionados can pick the perfect site to watch the peloton pass. From a PR perspective, this is a creative way to launch a new application given the interest in this premier cycling event.
Not everybody likes this new tool however. It has drawn the ire of some privacy campaigners. Google says they use face blurring technology to preserve the privacy of individuals photographed.
To see it go here , click on Tour de France. There’s a short orientation video on the lower left hand portion of the screen. Although in French, it’s pretty self-explanatory.
It’s already available in many US cities. Go here.
What do you think?
