Google Combines Driving Directions with Street View

Google Maps has integrated street view images into driving directions, now you can see the entire route and what actions need to be taken from starting point to destination.

Before, you have to click “Street View” button to see the images of the streets you are planning to visit in Google Maps. Now they have combined this street view images with directions, you can plot your course easily.

Google blog stated that viewing Street View images alongside directions, drivers have visual context for intersections and action points along their route, enabling them to be aware of landmarks and other factors such as tolls, speed limits, size of the road, and the availability of parking at their destination.

The video explains how it works.

Once you get directions between two points in Google Maps, you will see a camera icon next to each step in the directions. Either click each image icon to see where you have to make a turn or click the next or previous step in the maps itself. You can zoom in and zoom out to see the details more clearly and you can also rotate the images to have a panoramic view of the location.

You can test it out how it works here. Click the camera icon to see the view.

This option is available in 42 US cities and will be available for other cities and towns soon.

There is also a Google Maps API, which has this street view in driving directions, just click the drive button, you can actually see what course to take from start to finish.