Google's Street View is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, having originally arrived on 24 May 2007.
It has grown significantly in the last decade and a half, covering over 100 countries and territories today. Now there are plans to expand its reach even further, thanks to a new Street View camera that is far more portable than any used to date.
The new camera is currently being piloted for a planned full rollout next year. It contains all of the same tech - including the resolution, power and processing - as the camera in Google's Street View car but is a fraction of the size. Google itself describes it as "the size of a house cat" and it weighs just 15 lbs (6.8kg).
This will enable Street View operatives to take images at the top of mountains or simply through a local town square where cars cannot travel.
The camera is also modular, so new functions and features can be added over time, such as a Lidar sensor to scan more intricate details, such as lane markings and potholes.
It can also be attached to any car with a roof rack and, as it connects to a mobile device, can be operated remotely.
Oh, and it looks a bit like Wall-E. So if you see one travelling down your street, you'll know what it is.
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