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These street maps are becoming insanely precise, probably helped by the competition. I see that Google Maps is now testing "detailed street maps" in some cities

These street maps are becoming insanely precise, probably helped by the competition. I see that Google Maps is now testing "detailed street maps" in some cities: https://www.justinobeirne.com/google-testing-detailed-street-maps https://www.justinobeirne.com/google-testing-detailed-street... Just a thought: maybe they are scanning cities for their self-driving cars and are also using this data for Maps?

hobofan 6y ago
> maybe they are scanning cities for their self-driving cars and are also using this data for Maps? I think that sounds plausible. I don't see why else they would resume scanning parts of Germany even though they have to blur out large chunks of it on Streetview.
sildur 6y ago
Ah, they now have the same detail OSM had five years ago. Who knows, maybe some day they will be on par.
- dschep 6y ago
  That was my first thought when I just saw "sidewalks" & "crosswalks" too. But AFAIK OSM doesn't have anything remotely like that level of sidewalk shape data. And while stairs on paths are mapped, I don't think outdoor building stairs are mapped.
  - sildur 6y ago
    Here, in OSM, I can see stairs shape, type of pavement, stairs direction, and amount of stairs. Not sure about sidewalks, though. OSM is pretty detailed altogether. It depends on user input, but the tools are there.
  - matkoniecz 6y ago
    > But AFAIK OSM doesn't have anything remotely like that level of sidewalk shape data. Yes, for now only tiny part of sidewalks has area info. See https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:area:highway https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:area:highway > I don't think outdoor building stairs are mapped. It can be mapped, also not done in most of places
  - Mediterraneo10 6y ago
    Stairs on Google are often the result of leveraging Captcha questions, i.e. Google made the public do the work but then locked up the data under a non-public license.
101008 6y ago
Thanks for the link. I hope they allow switching between both version. I know the one on the right on your link gives more information, but it looks too crumbled. I dont need most of the information there.
acomjean 6y ago
They are. I’ve been geotagging 100 arts locations in Somerville ma for a decade. A volunteer who likes to bike checks out the locations. There used to be some that were quite off, now it’s really spot on.
ra7 6y ago
> Just a thought: maybe they are scanning cities for their self-driving cars and are also using this data for Maps? This is extremely likely. We know that Street View cars have been carrying Lidar equipment for a few years now which aids in HD mapping. It makes total sense for them to re-use this data for their self driving cars.

hobofan 6y ago

> maybe they are scanning cities for their self-driving cars and are also using this data for Maps? I think that sounds plausible. I don't see why else they would resume scanning parts of Germany even though they have to blur out large chunks of it on Streetview.

sildur 6y ago

Ah, they now have the same detail OSM had five years ago. Who knows, maybe some day they will be on par.

dschep 6y ago
That was my first thought when I just saw "sidewalks" & "crosswalks" too. But AFAIK OSM doesn't have anything remotely like that level of sidewalk shape data. And while stairs on paths are mapped, I don't think outdoor building stairs are mapped.
- sildur 6y ago
  Here, in OSM, I can see stairs shape, type of pavement, stairs direction, and amount of stairs. Not sure about sidewalks, though. OSM is pretty detailed altogether. It depends on user input, but the tools are there.
- matkoniecz 6y ago
  > But AFAIK OSM doesn't have anything remotely like that level of sidewalk shape data. Yes, for now only tiny part of sidewalks has area info. See https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:area:highway https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:area:highway > I don't think outdoor building stairs are mapped. It can be mapped, also not done in most of places
- Mediterraneo10 6y ago
  Stairs on Google are often the result of leveraging Captcha questions, i.e. Google made the public do the work but then locked up the data under a non-public license.

101008 6y ago

Thanks for the link. I hope they allow switching between both version. I know the one on the right on your link gives more information, but it looks too crumbled. I dont need most of the information there.

acomjean 6y ago

They are. I’ve been geotagging 100 arts locations in Somerville ma for a decade. A volunteer who likes to bike checks out the locations. There used to be some that were quite off, now it’s really spot on.

ra7 6y ago

> Just a thought: maybe they are scanning cities for their self-driving cars and are also using this data for Maps? This is extremely likely. We know that Street View cars have been carrying Lidar equipment for a few years now which aids in HD mapping. It makes total sense for them to re-use this data for their self driving cars.