Street View spymobiles invade CeBIT

Google woos Germans with touchy-feely paintjob

CeBIT As part of Google's hearts-and-minds campaign to allay German fears that it is intent on adding their country to Mountain View's lebensraum, the company has decided to entertain CeBIT visitors with some touchy-feely Street View spymobiles:

You'll note the Opels are somewhat less Orwellian than they normally are when they're prowling the world's highways and byways, stripping Finns of their underpants and their privacy.

This is because Google invited some happening German art students to give the motors a makeover - a nifty bit of PR which might have guaranteed Hitler's panzers a warmer reception during Operation Barbarossa - and could indeed in future see Street View's vehicles welcomed with cheering crowds bearing garlands of flowers, rather than pitchforks.