With GE Partnership, Google Maps Goes Underground

General Electric and Google maps are partnering to give engineers access to Google maps as an additional layer in Smallworld, GE's proprietary GIS program, which contains location data for energy grids, pipelines, telecommunications and other related infrastructure.

A GE Digital Energy representative believes the two systems have the potential to evolve together. While Google maps would enable engineers to access specific location data through its Streetview function, it could eventually provide 3D views of underground cable and pipe networks. On the consumer end, GE could eventually overlay power outage information on Google maps and make it available live for ordinary users to track outages in their neighborhoods.