Automobile web cam and communications system incorporating a network of automobile web cams

A communications system, comprising:

• a plurality of vehicles, a plurality of web cameras, each of said cameras being disposed in one of said vehicles and being active when the vehicle is running wherein said plurality of web cameras are directed toward areas outside said vehicle;
• means for transmitting information from said vehicles via a wireless network, said transmitted information including video information from said web cameras and an identifier for each of said web cams;
• and
• a server for receiving the video information and providing a plurality of images for viewing by a plurality of communication system users.

A method of estimating traffic conditions comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle including at least one web cam;
• providing means for transmitting information from said vehicles via a wireless network, said transmitted information including video information from said web cameras and the location of said vehicles;
• providing a server for receiving the video information and providing a plurality of images for viewing by a plurality of communication system users;
• and
• sorting images corresponding to a prescribed geographic area from the plurality of images, the sorted images representing an area of traffic interest.

A method of creating a virtual trip comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle including at least one web cam;
• providing means for transmitting information from said vehicles via a wireless network, said transmitted information including video information from said web cameras and the location of said vehicles;
• providing a server for receiving the video information and providing a plurality of images for viewing by a plurality of communication system users;
• and
• sorting images corresponding to a prescribed geographic areas from the plurality of images to create a visual trip from a first point of interest to a second point of interest.