Hajra Naz
Remember Twitch Plays Pokémon? That viral experiment where thousands of people controlled a single video game by typing commands into a chat? It was chaotic, hilarious, and somehow, it worked. Or maybe you’ve seen group livestreams where viewers vote on what the host should do next, like cooking shows, live trivia, or even choose-your-own-adventure-style YouTube streams.
Internet Roadtrip takes that same crowd-controlled idea and turns it into a slow, scenic ride across America—via Google Street View.
It’s a Friday afternoon, and I’m at my desk, listening to Bowdoin College’s radio station. A few random car honks echo in the background. I’m not in a car, and I’m not in Maine. I’m just along for the ride, virtually.
This is Internet Roadtrip, a web project created by Neal Agarwal. Every 10 seconds, viewers vote on what the virtual car should do—go left, right, or straight; honk; or change the station. The option with the most votes wins, and the car moves forward one step at a time.
It’s part game, part hangout, and completely fascinating.
Compared to Twitch Plays Pokémon, this feels much calmer. Only a few thousand people join in at a time, and it all runs smoothly with help from a dedicated Discord community. People come and go, chat about where to head next, and share odd roadside discoveries along the way.
But don’t expect fast progress. The car moves at a pace slower than walking. Some newcomers suggest ambitious trips to Las Vegas or Alaska, only to be told those could take 10 months in real time—if they’re even possible at all.
The team behind the project has already ruled out Alaska. As the Discord FAQ explains, the roads up north have gaps in Google’s Street View coverage. Without continuous photos, the car would get stuck. “We checked,” they say.
There’s no set destination anyway. Unlike games like GeoGuessr, there’s nothing to guess or win. It’s all about the journey. Right now, the car is somewhere near Blue Hill, Maine. Some players want to head toward Canada—maybe. But most seem content just tuning into a quirky college radio station and slowly drifting down peaceful roads with a bunch of strangers.
In the end, Internet Roadtrip isn’t really about where you’re going. It’s about the odd little joy of being part of something—shared moments, random roads, and the comfort of a slow ride with no pressure to arrive.
Common questions about virtual road trips
Does Google Street View cost anything? No. Street View sits inside Google Maps on the web and in the Maps mobile apps, and panning around a location does not require a subscription or a paid account.
Can you follow a whole route instead of standing in one spot? Yes. Drop into Street View at a starting point and use the on screen arrows to move down the road one frame at a time, which is what makes a couch road trip feel like a drive rather than a slideshow.
Does it work properly on a phone? It does, although a larger screen makes the illusion stronger. Google has been steadily adding navigation features to smaller screens too, including the Gemini AI navigation it built for pedestrians and cyclists.
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