Does Google Plan to Map the World in 3D?

[rustybrick]

I just wrote a blog entry at SEW on Google buying SketchUp. They created this SketchUp Google Earth Plugin 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, which generates 3D images of the route...