The Google Maps of the Week

Designer Peter Smart travelled 2517 miles to try and use design to Solve 50 Problems in 50 Days.

Peter used Google Maps to document his journey and the work he completed along the way. As you might expect from a designer the created map looks fantastic. The map uses the Google Maps Styled Maps feature and custom map markers to create a truly unique look and feel.

The map can be filtered to just show markers relating to 'problems', 'interviews' and 'narratives'. These markers can then be sub-categorised by the type of design problem Peter was trying to solve at each location. 


Google Maps and, in particular, Google Maps Street View has an incredible appeal to the marketing managers in the automotive industry. I don't think there is a major car manufacturer left who hasn't run some sort of Google Maps based marketing campaign.

This week BMW launched BMW Vagviarna, a competition to find a BMW car hidden somewhere in Sweden, using Google Maps satellite imagery. Hyundai also got in on the act by releasing a Google Maps Street View application that allows you to virtually test drive an Elantra on the streets of your choice.

The Driveway Decision Maker allows you to enter any address and watch a Hyundi car drive the streets of your neighborhood and park outside your house using Google Maps Street View. Once you've viewed your animated test drive you can even enter a sweepstake to win a real Hyundi Elantra.