Google Maps launches Street View in India after 11-year wait (updated)

CE Info Systems

27/07/2022 11:09

(Adds executive comments)
    By Munsif Vengattil
    NEW DELHI, July 27 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's  GOOGL.O 
Google Maps on Wednesday launched its panoramic Street View
service in 10 Indian cities in partnership with Tech Mahindra
and Genesys, 11 years after a first attempt ran into regulatory
troubles.
    The feature, which offers 360-degree views of streets around
the world using photos taken by cruising vehicles, has faced
privacy complaints and regulatory scrutiny in many countries.
    The Indian launch comes after Google was denied permission
at least twice in the last decade by the government over
security concerns. 
    Company executives said on Wednesday it was able to meet the
regulatory requirements thanks to a new geospatial policy from
India last year, which allows foreign map operators to provide
panoramic imagery by licensing the data from local partners.
    Data collection was entirely done by Tech Mahindra and
Genesys, Google said, adding the service would be available in
over 50 Indian cities by the end of this year.
    Street View imagery will blur out faces of individuals and
license plates to address privacy concerns, said Miriam Daniel,
Vice President of Google Maps Experiences. 
    Wednesday's announcement coincided with a similar feature
launch from MapmyIndia  CEIF.NS , which powers Apple Inc's
 AAPL.O  maps in the country. Its Mappls RealView is live across
thousands of cities, the company said. 
    Google also announced a partnership with India's Central
Pollution Control Board to provide air quality information over
maps. 

 (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in New Delhi
Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Mark Potter)
 ((chris.thomas@thomsonreuters.com; +91-80-6749-8695;))