Google Street View adds ‘time machine’ feature

Google has updated its Street View feature so users can now travel back through time and see how places have changed since the mapping service launched in 2007.

From yesterday, users can click on a new clock icon in the corner of the screen when using Street View, which enables anyone to explore roads and areas almost anywhere in the world.

Clicking this new icon will then allow users to move a scrollbar, changing the year, and even season, of the area or building they are currently looking at to see how it has changed over time.

In a post on the official Google blog, Google Street View product manager Vinay Shet said: “If you’ve ever dreamt of being a time traveller like Doc Brown now’s your chance.

“Starting today, you can travel to the past to see how a place has changed over the years by exploring Street View imagery in Google Maps for desktop. We’ve gathered historical imagery from past Street View collections dating back to 2007 to create this digital time capsule of the world.

“Now with Street View, you can see a landmark’s growth from the ground up, like the Freedom Tower in New York city or the 2014 World Cup stadium in Fortaleza, Brazil,” said Mr Shet. This new “time machine” feature will aim to get more people using the service.