Apple vehicles are on Dubai streets to update Maps and here's where you'll see them

Areas selected include Dubai Marina, Al Safa Park and Madinat Jumeirah

Apple has used a variety of vehicles equipped with Lidar scanners in select parts of the world to gather street data to improve its Maps app. Photo: Wikimedia commons

Apple is conducting surveys using Lidar-equipped vehicles in Dubai as part of a revamp of its Maps app, in preparation for updating the service in the UAE.

The data collection phase will run until June 30 in some areas of the emirate. The iPhone maker, however, did not disclose when Maps in the UAE will be updated with the gathered data.

Which areas of Dubai are being scanned?

They are scattered across the emirate. The biggest area being scanned is Dubai Marina, according to a map provided by Apple on its website.

Other areas in the plan include around Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah, Al Safa Park Complex, Al Habtoor City, the inner road along the Dubai International Financial Centre and parts of Oud Metha.

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It is unclear if Apple will add more locations. The company also says it may “periodically” revisit and collect more data in some locations to maintain an “up-to-date map”.

What vehicles will Apple use?

Apple did not disclose what type of vehicles it will use for the data gathering in Dubai.

However, during testing in other countries, Apple has used saloons, SUVs and vans, usually emblazoned with a logo that says “Apple Maps Imagery Collection”.

In the UK, it has used vehicles from Subaru, while in India it has used Mahindra, according to images posted on the web.

Apple's own devices, including iPhones, iPads and MacBooks, are also being used to collect data.

To access areas where vehicles cannot or will not be able to reach, Apple uses backpack systems – still with Lidar – that can collect the same data, it said.

It is a more compact version of the vehicle collection system, “but still allows for collection of Lidar point cloud and imagery”, it said.

These backpacks will be able to gather data from areas such as pedestrian-only streets, parks, plazas and public transport stations.

Middle East presence

The UAE, Palestine and Israel are the only areas in the Middle East where Apple is gathering data to improve maps in a list that comprises 56 markets, according to its website.

Apple gradually adds more to its app availability lists over time, but has not given any indication that it will expand its Maps plans in the region in the near future.

What about privacy?

Apple, much like Google Maps, blurs out sensitive imagery, particularly people's faces and vehicle licence plates, within Maps.

The Look Around feature, released alongside iOS 13 in 2019, provides interactive panoramas and allows users to view street-level imagery in 360 degrees.

Censoring these types of imagery has been standard practice for such services in order not to breach privacy laws.

Apple is also giving users the option to request that faces, licence plates and houses be blurred out, it said.