THE Google cars will be returning to the Island's roads next week to capture images for the company's Street View feature on Google Maps.
The cars were last in the Isle of Man in April.
The Street Views facility allows users to virtually explore and navigate a neighbourhood through panoramic street-level images. It is also available in Google Earth and on Google Maps for Mobile.
Still images collected by the cars will be processed and carefully stitched together, a technological process that can take several months.
Alex Downie MLC, a political member of the Department of Economic Development, said: "We are really pleased that Google is extending its coverage of Street View to cover the Isle of Man.
"People around the world will be able to see the natural beauty and features unique to the Island. Potential visitors can take a tour of the Island and be inspired to come and visit our shores."
Google spokesperson Laura Scott said: "We're thrilled to be driving to collect images of the Isle of Man.
"It will give maps users the chance to explore this beautiful Island in a new way and then come and visit in person. We estimate it will take us a few weeks to gather the images and this is an ideal time of year to gather great pictures."
Google said it goes to great lengths to safeguard privacy while allowing all users to benefit from the feature.
It said as with all Street View imagery, the company will apply face-blurring and license plate blurring to images to protect people's privacy.
Once images are available, people will be able to report images for removal, or additional blurring, by clicking on "report a problem" on the bottom left hand corner of the image.
From here they complete a short form where they indicate the precise image to be removed.
The company added: "We’d also like to take this opportunity to update everyone on some changes we’ve made to our cars.
"You may remember that in May we announced that we had mistakenly been collecting WiFi payload data from our StreetView cars.
"As soon as we discovered our error, we not only announced that we would stop collecting all WiFi data via our Street View cars, we also grounded our entire fleet of vehicles so we could remove the equipment and discuss what had happened with local regulators.
"Having removed this equipment, our cars will only be collecting photos and 3D imagery, as they have done before. You can read more about the changes we’ve made here: http://googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.com/2010/07/street-view-driving-update.html
"More info and to find out where our cars are, please visit google.im/streetview (will be available next week_ or www.maps.google.co.uk/streetview"
