Does Google Plan to Map the World in 3D?

[rustybrick]

I just wrote a blog entry at SEW (http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060314-114230) on Google buying SketchUp. They created this SketchUp Google Earth Plugin (http://www.sketchup.com/index.php?id=408) which enables folks to make 3D models of objects in Google Earth.

I asked in my blog post if Google bought them "to make SketchUp popular to encourage the public to map the world in 3D?"

I wonder what your thoughts are...

[sheseltine]

Well, they've partnered with VW to work on a new in-car navigation system (http://www.automotoportal.com/article/Volkswagen_and_Google_develop_revolutionary_naviga tion_system), which generates 3D images of the route...