3 Mapping APIs Combined to Create 3D Virtual Driving Simulator

John Musser, December 18th, 2008

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Following-up on yesterday’s post on the best new mashups, here is another notable mashup from this past week, yesterday’s Mashup of the Day: Gaiagi Driver. What is it? It’s a mashed-up 3D driving simulator that uses a lot of web APIs across multiple windows to create a unique driving experience. Give it a starting and ending address and it follows the path created by the directions and shows your present position in four different views:

• Upper left: Google Earth view (the mashup requires you to have this installed)
• Upper right: Google Map view. You can toggle traffic information as well as street view information as overlays.
• Lower left: Google Streetview
• Lower right: Microsoft Birdsview

That’s five different APIs being used: Google AJAX Libraries + Google Ajax Search + Google Earth + Google Maps + Microsoft Virtual Earth.

Given how much is going in all those windows, it’s more than a bit demanding, so it helps to have a fast Internet connection.

As a bonus, it includes a dozen pre-defined tours, just press the button and go:

• New York City: Central Park to Times Square
• Las Vegas: Along the Strip
• San Francisco: Market Street to Golden Gate
• London: London Eye to Buckingham Palace
• Paris: Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame

It’s an impressive bit of mashup engineering.