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If you've watched any "Lord of the Rings" film, you know what large, open areas of New Zealand look like.  Google's going to introduce you to parts of the rest of it, however; cars representing the company's Street View project have been sighted in this country.

To be honest, word has been circulating for days, and I never doubted that the reports were true.  Pictures of the cars have now come out, however, and they lend themselves to a bit of analysis.

You can tell a lot about people - or companies - from the car they own.  For instance, in America, Google picked a bunch of Volkswagen Beetles as its Street View vehicles of choice.  They're not as "green" as Toyota Priuses, and perhaps not as reliable as Honda Accords, but some people do find them to be kind of cute.

In London, Volkswagen Beetles are also being used, but they're actually right-hand drive.  Meaning they're meant to stay in Europe, presumably continuing to take Street View shots, for their entire life.

Now, in New Zealand, the Holden Astra seems to be the car of choice.  The hatchback versions are attractive and economical, though not "hot" or extremely efficient.  Bevan Rudge interviewed a hired driver, but the cars once again seem to be permanent fixtures of the project.  We might expect to see a lot of pictures of New Zealand as a result.