Google Street View Cars Now Scan For Gas Leaks

I wonder what happens when these methane sniffing Street View cars drive by a herd of cows (or my house on chili night)?

Google’s cars were equipped with methane sensors, to pinpoint the locations and severities of thousands of natural gas leaks, a chronic problem for many cities. The mapping project is a pilot program helmed by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund to gather data and encourage infrastructure repairs.

Click to expand...

.. a chronic problem for many cities..

Click to expand...

While we are going through the trouble of having these Google cars riding throughout the city, might as well have them scan for..

- pollution
- crime
- rodent infestations
- homelessness
- prostitution
- Google protests
- gangs
- traffic jams
- gentrification
- urban decay
- lack of affordable housing
- segregation
- lack of sales tax revenue
- truancy
- city government corruption
- failed Kickstarter games
- crime (have officers ride in these Google cars)
- lack of kale being sold in grocery stores
- open Wi-Fi networks (whoops.. been done already)

Why stop with methane leaks.. about a million others things a Google car can contribute info on if the justification is "a chronic problem for many cities". Load them up with tons of sensors!!

Ya, that's what been blowing up seemingly random houses in the middle of the day when no one was home.....gas leaks...yes of course.

Good way to catalogue Carbon Tax "research" too.

I think it's a good idea.

They are aware that street view is controversial to some, so they are adding features to it to make it seem like more of a service to the public.

With all these geolocation vehicles laden with sensors and internet connectivity driving around, why not take advantage of them in any way you can?

Insula Gilliganis said:

- gentrification

Click to expand...

I disagree that gentrification is a real problem.

Oh No! My neighborhood suddenly has a grocery store some restaurants and less crime!

Sure, some people get priced out, but that's always the way it has been, and the way it should be, when something gets more popular, prices go up, and those who have the desire and means to pay the increased amounts do so, others move.

There never has been a guarantee that you can live in the same place and never have to move your entire life. If you want that, seriously consider buying a place, rather than renting.

In other news, this was one of the projects my dad invented in 1994. Woot woot.

I'll have to see if I can find a picture of the Ford Bronco test vehicle.

Steve said:

(or my house on chili night)?

Click to expand...

Lol! Thank you Steve! You owe me a new keyboard! I'm so glad that I can browse the news in the morning and count on you to not take things too seriously!

Zarathustra[H];1040966828 said:

I think it's a good idea.

Click to expand...

While I agree that it's probably pretty easy to slap a gas sensor on a car that's tied to it's GPS, how often do Google mapping cars drive by any one point? Seems like something that can just as easily be accomplished by attaching a sensor to the cities police cars since they're more likely to drive down a particular street quite often, and many modern police cars do have tracking in them.