Switch easily between North-up and Track-up views. How to Use the Driving Simulator
When you enter driving navigation on Google Maps, your phone defaults to a 2D top-down map. But if you enable "Start AR" while driving (not recommended while moving, only as a passenger or at a stop), the phone will use the camera to view the road ahead.
Google Maps provides visual geometry, not physical collision data.
While Google Maps is universally praised for its turn-by-turn navigation and Street View imagery, independent developers have taken its vast mapping data to create an interactive, open-world driving game. Here is everything you need to know about this viral web simulator, how it works, and how you can start your own virtual road trip today. What is the 3D Driving Simulator in Google Maps? 3d driving simulator in google maps
Control tools allow you to adjust the tilt angle and orientation—such as choosing between a static north-facing view or a dynamic camera that follows the car’s heading.
While highly entertaining, the simulator does have a few technical boundaries to keep in mind:
The driving simulator is a masterclass in leveraging modern web APIs. It relies heavily on two primary technologies: 1. Google Maps API v3 Switch easily between North-up and Track-up views
The core programming language and 3D library used to render the car model and the 3D perspective over the 2D map.
The unofficial "3D Driving Simulator" is a third-party web-based project that overlays simple driving mechanics onto a real-world map. It allows you to drive a virtual car or bus across real roads and terrains, effectively turning Google Maps into a vast, open-world driving game.
Licensing and attribution
You will have the entire world completely to yourself; the streets are entirely empty of other moving entities. Final Verdict: Why You Should Try It
You can type any location into the search bar and immediately teleport your vehicle there.
[Google Maps API] + [Mapbox GL JS] ---> Provides real-world tile data and satellite imagery │ ▼ [HTML5 / WebGL Canvas] -------------> Renders the 3D vehicle and handles physics controls Google Maps provides visual geometry, not physical collision