Google has pushed out another big update to the 3D Buildings layer for Google Earth today. The new layer includes thousands of new buildings in five cities and user models from the 3D Warehouse for many other cities around the world. The five cities with new greatly expanded coverage include: Warsaw, Prague, Oslo, Toronto, and Indianapolis. These cities have models made by techniques Google has yet to share: but is at least a semi-automated method which includes aerial photography for photo-realistic textures on the models. NOTE: Google continues to show user models for buildings which were already in the 3D Warehouse in favor of their own semi-automated system. Here’s an example of the new coverage for Toronto:
And here’s a YouTube video showing three of the new cities:
Google just released a similar big update to 3D Buildings about two weeks ago! Read more.
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
I see that Toronto is still marred by the presence of non-existent buildings. These seem to be developers’ projects, sketched up and inserted into the map to aid prospective sales. The buildings are huge and obviously speculative. I wonder if this advertising use of designing buildings is encouraged/allowed by Google Maps? A shame if it is.
I wish Google would use there own models if available because the user stuff can be crap sometimes. Toronto doesn’t look nearly as nice because of the user buildings aren’t as photo-realistic.
Nice to hear that Prague is in the list
Prague seems to be extremly hard task, lot of small buildings, narrow streets. Only a small part of town is covered (but most interesting part), some buildings inside covered area are missing and there are lot of photo-realistic textures errors, but result is still very good. I was wondering why some good 3d models from warehouse was not added during last update, so this update is the reason.
A fantastic update, however, the combination of the more detailed elevation data and auto generated buildings looks terrible in Oslo and Prague where buildings frequenty float above the ground due to a sharp elevation decline.
I wonder if Google would consider users adjusting auto generated content and elevation data.
Like in the game Trainz, an interactive way to adjust elevation data is needed to make the detailed elevation data work properly around cities.
Also many buildings have disturbing errors in their geometry that are obvious to humans and could easily be fixed using human logic without ever having access to the actual building photo’s or plans.