Google Street View using pedal power for new UK maps

To advance its Street View service this summer, Google is poised to unleash the unstoppable power of human legs.

This summer, Google will deploy bikes mounted with its 360-degree Street View cameras to map areas of the UK inaccessible by its fleet of Street View cars.

The so-called Google Trike, which the company describes as "a mechanical masterpiece comprising three bicycle wheels, a mounted Street View camera and a very athletic cyclist in customised Google apparel", will arrive in the UK to make some "special image collections".

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It's up to the public, however, to tell Google - via a vote - which locations should be photographed. There are five categories to choose from, picked by VisitBritain: castles, coastal paths, natural wonders, historic buildings and monuments and stadiums.

"Users will be able to virtually tour castles or monuments before visiting, or check out which side of a football stadium they need to be on before leaving the house," a Google spokeswoman told silicon.com sister site CNET UK. "They will be added to the Street View tool in the same way as existing images."