Mapping the city: we took a ride in the car taking 650,000 pictures of London

Hyundai and the Ordnance Survey are on a mission to map London over 50 days through 650,000 street pictures. They’re doing this all from a hydrogen fuel cell car that emits nothing but water. We couldn’t pass up on the chance to go along for part of the 2,000-mile ride at the beginning of A Streetcar Named Hyundai’s journey. 

© Ordinance Survey

 So with Hannah, our trusted driver, map at the ready and two high-tech whizzes in the back, we set off from Blackfriars to snap the streets.

© Freire Barnes

We couldn’t have asked for a better day. With clear blue skies, the camera, which is installed on the roof and controlled by the car’s speed, took an image every 6-7 metres. 

© A Streetcar Named Hyundai

Using the cabbie's ‘Knowledge’, the world first initiative will capture all of London from the landmarks to the copious building sites. From views over the river to the day-to-day happenings, a unique vision of London in 2015 will be created. All the images will then be woven into a mosaic image of our fair capital to be unveiled at City Hall in November.

© Freire Barnes

 Follow the progress at www.astreetcarnamedhyundai.com.

© Freire Barnes