Overture Releases First Open Map Dataset
Third-party developers will have access to open map data, rather than relying on Google Maps or Apple Maps
The Overture Maps Foundation (OMF), an initiative formed by Amazon AMZN 0.00%↑, Meta META 0.00%↑, Microsoft MSFT 0.00%↑ and TomTom [TOM2], today announced the release of its first open map dataset. The new release includes four data layers that include places of interest (POIs), buildings, transportation network and administrative boundaries.
Of the layers, buildings data features more than 780 million structures, which are important for consumer mapping, AR-based mapping as well as applications that leverage digital twins for infrastructure management, said Marc Prioleau, OMF executive director. “We are not focused initially on bathymetric mapping or elevation models—so you’d assume applications requiring that data would not be targeted. Ultimately, Overture’s priorities are driven by the members.”
The new data, with more than 59 million POIs, will allow third-party developers to create mapping and navigation products without having to rely on Apple Maps AAPL 0.00%↑ or Google Maps GOOG 0.00%↑, who currently dominate online mapping. However, Prioleau said that Overture’s Building team was happy to see the release of the Google Open buildings dataset.
“We did a quick check on the coverage and quality and it seems very promising. We will do more evaluation in the next month,” he said. “I was especially happy to see that Google released the data under two open source licenses, the ODbL license, which is widely used by OpenStreetMap, as well as the more permissive CC-BY-4.0.”
The buildings data that OMD released includes open buildings data from OpenStreetMap, Microsoft’s AI-generated buildings and Esri’s Community maps project. “The team will evaluate the Google building data and conflate it with our existing sources if it improves the product. I hope that it is a start of a trend for Google in making more map data open,” Prioleau said.
Beyond consumer mapping markets, and strong interest in the automotive market, a big area could be enterprise applications, Prioleau said. “Two of the founding members run large cloud computing platforms, so it is reasonable to assume that they would be highly interested in enterprise applications. There are significant applications in logistics and delivery services which would classically be considered enterprise level applications of map data,” he said. “There are also a large set of enterprise use cases that use map data for analysis but may never display a visual map.”
OMF, founded in late 2022, features new members Esri, Cyient, InfraMappa, Nomoko, Precisely, PTV Group, SafeGraph, Sanborn and Sparkgeo. “Membership growth is an outcome, not a goal. Overture will add members as we bring more value as an open map data ecosystem,” Prioleau said. “That means that we systematically build and release new open data sets, structure that data in a way that is useful to developers, and build feedback loops to refresh that map. We want to build that ecosystem in a systematic way. If we can keep doing that, I think membership growth will take care of itself.”
The datasets are available for download at https://overturemaps.org/download.
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Semtech and UnaBiz Partner
Once bitter low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) rivals, Semtech SMTC 0.00%↑ and UnaBiz have partnered to integrate Sigfox 0G technology on Semtech’s LoRa Edge and its next generation LoRa Connect platforms. The partnership allows customers to develop solutions that combine LoRaWAN and Sigfox 0G technologies, which provide global IoT coverage asset management through low-power geolocation in such industries as supply chain and logistics.
LoRa Edge and the LoRa Connect transceivers offer multi-band connectivity, low-power Wi-Fi and GNSS scanning capabilities in a single silicon, which Semtech says makes them cost-effective platforms for IoT and geolocation applications in the global unlicensed LPWAN market. The partnership allows LoRa Cloud geolocation on the Sigfox global 0G network, currently in more than 70 countries.
“With this collaboration, we are bringing together the LoRaWAN and Sigfox ecosystems to expand Semtech's LoRa platform to an even larger footprint of LPWAN networks across the globe and provide IoT developers and customers with ultra-low power connectivity, security and cloud-based geolocation,” said Tom Mueller, Semtech’s executive vice president and general manager of the IoT System Products Group, in a statement. “We are creating a cost-effective, single SKU platform for our customers to benefit from the best available network coverage globally and we are enabling LoRa Cloud geolocation across these networks, bringing ultra-low power Wi-Fi and GNSS sniffing for logistics and asset tracking.”
Location Business News has covered the downfall—and rise—of Sigfox through its acquisition by Singapore-based UnaBiz. Sigfox, once seen as a major IoT player, had its financial woes chronicled by Techcrunch and French Tech Journal. UniBiz, however, has opened up the Sigfox device library to IoT community and has joined the LoRa Alliance as a contributor member recently following a several partnership announcements with LoRaWAN ecosystem members.
Contact: Shannon Love, Semtech, (602) 575-9045, slove@semtech.com.
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Comcast’s MachineQ Expands Indoor Asset Tracking IoT Solution
MachineQ has extended capabilities of MachineQ for Indoor Asset Tracking, the real-time location system (RTLS) solution the company launched last year, that features new asset tracking tags and a space utilization solution. The company, owned by Comcast CMCSA 0.00%↑, launched a suite of active asset tags, including the Nano RT, Nano LP, the Dura ET, Dura PT, and Dura AC.
These low-energy tags, with long battery life, are targeted to such asset tracking customers as those in laboratories and other facilities. “These tags were purpose-built to offer customers flexible options for tracking and monitoring equipment and assets critical to their day-to-day operations,” said Gaurav Naik, MachineQ’s head of engineering, in a statement.
MachineQ also plans to augment its current suite of indoor asset tracking and facilities wellness solutions by adding what it calls space utilization. The solution leverages privacy-centric sensors to count the number of people occupying a room to help facility managers understand space use and traffic patterns.
In addition, Lab management and facilities teams can identify whether lab space and equipment are being over or underused and optimize the distribution of lab equipment, the company said. This process helps scientists to assess what tools they need--and drive revenue, the company said.
MachineQ’s Steven Corbesero, director of product and solutions, said the new IoT tags allow organizations to monitor their operations in real-time for corrective and predictive actions.
Contact: Joel Shadle, Comcast, Joel_Shadle@comcast.com, www.MachineQ.com.
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South Africa Fleet Management Systems To Reach 3.8 Million Units
The number of active fleet management systems deployed in commercial vehicle fleets in South Africa reached an estimated 2.1 million in Q4-2022, according to a study from Berg Insight. Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.2 percent, this number is expected to reach 3.8 million by 2027.
South Africa is a relatively mature telematics market and the penetration rate is comparably high from an international perspective, the study said. “A notable share of the installed fleet telematics systems on the South African market is represented by comparably low-end tracking systems, e.g. light FM solutions, including SVR systems extended with basic FM features,” according to the study.
Berg says the South African fleet management market is dominated by five domestic players with broad telematics portfolios that represent 70 percent of the total fleet management systems in use in the country. “Berg Insight ranks Cartrack, Tracker and MiX Telematics as the largest providers of fleet management solutions in South Africa,” said Rickard Andersson, Berg Insight’s principal analyst.
Rounding out the top five are Ctrack and Netstar. For its part, Cartrack has more than a half million FM units installed in the country, Berg says. Other large players in the market include Bidtrack, Digicell, GPS Tracking Solutions, Webfleet and Gurtam.
Contact: Johan Fagerberg, Berg Insight, 46317113091, johan.fagerberg@berginsight.com
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Other Location News:
News tip? Send them to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories.
Top News:
🚀 Space Force Selects Vendors for Low Earth Orbit Satellite Services. Task orders will be awarded for a wide range of services, including high-speed broadband, synthetic aperture radar imaging, space domain awareness; and alternative positioning, navigation and timing.
🛰 Spire To Devise GNSS-Independent Aircraft Tracking Satellites for ESA. “A Spire Global-led SR 0.00%↑group has won European Space Agency funds to develop a satellite to demonstrate a civil aviation tracking constellation that would not rely on GPS, or any other GNSS vulnerable to interference. Most commercial aircraft must have an Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast transmitter that periodically sends out the location data they get from GNSS satellites.”
🌍 2023 NASA Tipping Point Selections. “Psionic awarded $3.2 million—will partner with Draper Laboratory to conduct a flight demonstration of its latest generation Navigation Doppler Lidar and terrain contour matching system. Freedom Photonics awarded $1.6 million—will develop a novel direct diode laser sour that could enable more efficient lidar systems.
Maps:
🙂 People Are Using Google Maps To Cut Down Tailpipe Pollution. “The feature has since helped prevent around 1.2 million metric tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide emissions, Google GOOG 0.00%↑ estimates in its latest environmental report released today.”
😕 TomTom App for Android Review: App Is a Premium, Pricey Navigator.
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Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
🚕 Cruise Starts Initial Robotaxi Testing in Miami. “Cruise, the self-driving arm of General Motors GM 0.00%↑, has begun initial testing and data collection in Miami.”
🤷♂️ Former NHTSA Head Blasts Cruise's 'Humans Are Terrible Drivers' Ad. “Using the pain and suffering of those deaths for self-promotion of an unproven and unsafe product is unscrupulous,” said Joan Claybrook, a lawyer who served as head of NHTSA from 1977 to 1981.
🤦♂️ People Are Getting Fed up With All the Useless Tech in Their Cars. “JD Power found that models that have Android Automotive with Google Automotive’s operating system, AAOS, score higher in the infotainment category than those with no AAOS whatsoever.”
🛥 USGS and Partners Deploy Autonomous Vehicles on Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. “The U.S. Geological Survey is using an autonomous surface vehicle on lakes Michigan and Huron from late-July through September 2023 to improve fishery surveys across the lakes.”
🤞 Hesai Dominates the Automotive Lidar Market.
Other Stuff:
⚡ AWS IoT Core Announces MQTT Support for Device Location Feature. “IoT Core Device Location feature allows customers to obtain devices’ location data and build location based applications even when devices don’t have a built in GPS.”
👓 Apple Wins a Patent for Spatial Audio Navigation. “The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple AAPL 0.00%↑ a patent that relates to spatial audio navigation being available on future AirPods, smartglasses and a lighter-weight version of Vision Pro.”
🙂 GPS Satellites May Be Able To Detect Earthquakes Before They Happen. “But existing equipment would need to be some 50 times more sensitive in order to detect a precursor to an earthquake.”
Financial:
💰 28-Year-Old Self-Made Billionaire Started His Self-Driving Car Company in His Parents' Garage—Now He's Worth $1.6 Billion. “When Austin Russell was a 17-year-old high school student, he founded Luminar Technologies, which makes laser sensors that can help self-driving cars detect nearby objects.”
💲 Autonomous Vehicle Company Aurora Sells $820M Worth of Stock. “Aurora Innovation AUR 0.00%↑, the self-driving technology company that aims to launch an autonomous trucking business in 2024, has completed a capital raise of $820 million from a public and concurrent private offering of its stock.”
✔ 45,795 Shares in MiX Telematics Limited Acquired by CM Wealth Advisors LLC.
😯 Aurora Co-Founder Sells $15.9 Million Worth of Company Stock Over 30-Day Period.
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Location Industry Briefs
Send your news releases to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories.
Targa Telematics Partners With Renault
Targa Telematics has partnered with Renault to expand the company’s range of connected car solutions by integrating data from Renault and Dacia vehicles. The partnership calls for Targa Telematics, as an authorized Renault telematics services provider, to use the Renault Easy Connect for Fleet to connect and activate most of the automaker’s passenger and light commercial vehicles.
Vehicles covered include Renault Zoé, Twingo, Trafic, Mégane, Master, Kangoo, Clio, Captur, Express Van, Austral, Arkana and the Dacia Duster and Dacia Spring. The partnership will involve the integration of fleet data streams directly into Targa Telematics’ platform, the company said.
Contact: Susanne Furini, Targa Telematics, 39 345 7274925 susanne.furini@targatelematics.com, www.targatelematics.com.
RapidSOS and Sfara Partner To Offer Enterprises Crash Detection and Emergency-Response
Sfara and RapidSOS have partnered to provide Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs) vehicle crash data to aid in emergency response. Sfara offers smartphone-based safety features, while RapidSOS links data from more than 500 million devices, apps, and sensors directly to RapidSOS Safety Agents, 911 and first responders, the company said. Through this partnership, verified vehicle crash data can be shared with 911 and first responders to help them prepare an appropriate response and arrive on scene faster, the companies say.
Contact: Sfara, www.sfara.com.
PTV Group Delivers Real-Time Traffic Data in the Paris Metropolitan Area
The Paris region highway authority has adopted PTV Group’s technology to enhance traffic management on one of Europe’s busiest networks. The company will supply real-time speed data derived from a vehicle’s GPS location travelling on the road network managed by DiRIF (Direction des Routes d'Île-de-France), as well as on certain sections of the Île-de-France region's main road network.
The data provided complements and enriches the traffic data available to DiRIF, based on their own detectors, the company said. By leveraging floating car data (FCD) sourced from TomTom [TOM2], PTV’s real-time software generates information in a four-step process that seamlessly integrates with DiRIF's traffic platform, Sytadin.
Contact: Stefanie Schmidt, PTV Group, 49 721-9651-7451, stefanie.schmidt@ptvgroup.com, www.ptvgroup.com.
Hexagon To Provide Autonomous Solution for Road Trains
Hexagon AB has announced an agreement with mining company Mineral Resources (MinRes) to provide an autonomous haulage solution for a fleet of 120 fully autonomous road trains in Australia.
Unmanned and autonomous systems will form part of the supply chain for the MinRes Onslow Iron project in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The center of the autonomous platooning system is Hexagon's autonomous solutions stack integrating drive-by-wire technology with an autonomous management system, the company said.
Contact: Madlen Nicolaus, Hexagon AB, 44 207 068 6575, media@hexagon.com.
SPYR Rolls Out New GeoTraq Location Tracking
SPYR [SPYR] has announced its new GeoTraq location tracking technology that uses IoT and and cellular networks to provide real-time data for vehicles and equipment. Other features include real-time insights via location information, easy integration and extended battery life. GeoTraq markets include logistics, transportation, supply chain management, healthcare and asset management.
Contact: SPYR, media@geotraq.com, www.geotraq.com.
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Soracom Partners with Skylo
Soracom has partnered with service operator Skylo Technologies to allow customers building IoT solutions and M2M devices access to Skylo's 3GPP NTN connectivity and Soracom’s cellular platform. Soracom’s platform provides full MVNO capability paired with connectivity management tools, the company said. In 2022, Soracom added native support for satellite messaging capability.
Contact: Soracom, www.soracom.io.
Kodiak Robotics Pilots Autonomous Truck Inspection Program
Kodiak Robotics has announced that it is the first company to pilot the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Enhanced Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Inspection Standard program. The program allows autonomous trucks to pre-clear roadside inspections.
Elements of this new program, which is designed to streamline interactions between autonomous trucks and law enforcement at fixed inspection sites. With Drivewyze and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) the company launched the initiative on Texas interstate highways.
Contact: Kodiak Robotics, kodiak.ai.
Inertial Labs Wins GSA Contract
Inertial Labs has been awarded a General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract. Financial details were not disclosed, or what federal agency took part in the deal. Inertial Labs’ products include inertial navigation systems, motion reference units, orientation sensors, and lidar-based remote sensing payloads.
Contact: Maria Mendez, Inertial Labs, (703) 880-4222, maria.mendez@inertiallabs.com, www.inertiallabs.com.
GeoComm Works With Iowa Education Department
GeoComm is working with the Iowa Department of Education to implement critical incident mapping for more than 1,400 Iowa schools as part of Governor Reynolds’ School Safety Initiative. As part of the project, GeoComm’s School Safety solution staff is conducting site visits to verify the accuracy of provided floor plan resources, scan school buildings, and collect locations of public safety points of interest in and around schools, the company said.
Contact: Geocomm, 888-436-2666, www.geocomm.com.
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People
Sanborn Map Co. has appointed Kate Hickey as chief operating officer. Hickey was previously COO of Applied Geographics, which was acquired by Sanborn in 2022.
Trimble TRMB 0.00%↑ has named Marcus McCarthy as business area director, On Road Division.
Adrian Pearmine has been named as Western Mobility Technology Solutions leader at STV.
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