Google Maps zoom: here's the device and vehicle behind it

A new street-level zoom feature on Google Maps debuted recently, to much freakout and fanfare (previous BB posts: 1, 2). The company One company performing some of the drive-by surveillance and image capture services for Google is Immersive Media, and here's a blog post from Peter Shankman, the PR guy who reps them. What a scary/cool little 11-sided camera that is on the "Street Level View-Mobile."

As for the resulting map details, I don't know whether I'm more terrified or delighted. Mostly delighted, because my house hasn't shown up in a close-up yet. (posted from the road in Central America / Xeni)

Reader comment: Rich Gibson says,

I was talking with one of the Google Guys who worked on Street View at
Where 2.0 Tuesday. Immersive Media is doing work for Google, but
Google also has their own van(s) cruising the streets. The Google van
has higher resolution than Immersive Media's system.

Compare this image of New York with this one of San Francisco.