How Satnav Maps Are Made 48
Barence writes "PC Pro has a feature revealing how the world's biggest satnav firms create their maps. Nokia's Navteq, for example, has a huge database of almost 24 million miles of road across the globe. For each mile of road there are multiple data points, and for each of those positions, more than 280 road attributes. The maps are generated from public data and driver feedback, not to mention its own fleet of cars with 360-degree cameras on the top. There's an IMU (inertial measurement unit) for monitoring the pitch of the road, and the very latest in 3D surface-scanning technology too. This light detection and ranging (LIDAR) detector captures 1.3 million three-dimensional data points every second, mapping the world around Navteq's field vehicles in true 3D. The feature also investigates whether commercial mapping firms will be replaced by open-source maps." That last line makes me think of the difference between conventionally published encyclopedias and Wikipedia; "replaced by" is an odd standard in a big marketplace of ideas.
um... sure... (Score:5, Insightful)
...let me just warm up my 360 degree camera and my LIDAR gear, like we all have one, and go take mapping data for my neighbourhood...
Re:um... sure... (Score:2, Insightful)
Making good open maps for the normal purpose of getting around doesn't require any more sophisticated equipment than a GPS receiver.
Except if you want to avoid routing someone under a low overpass they can't clear. GPSs in trucks are a bit more complex than you are considering.
Re:um... sure... (Score:5, Insightful)
GPS is fine for the mundane point A to point B navigation, but if you're exploring (road trip) - gas stations and places to eat and sleep are handy.. GPS alone is no good for that - you have to have POIs
streetview and flyover are useful if you want to get an idea of what's around. once in a while I'll get a restaurant recommendation from someone and if I'm not sure if I've been there (I don't remember names of places very well) I'll drive down the street courtesy of google.
the monocle feature in the yelp app uses POIs - useful if you're in a city you don't know. I was coming up from the underground in DC and was supposed to meet someone.. I had no idea what direction to walk... yelp told me which way to go. (easier than getting directions since I didn't need to enter an address and GPS w/o POIs makes the address useless anyway)
we had a gathering in a huge park last week.. the people not familiar with the city used google earth to find the meadow where we were supposed to meet. kind of hard to find a big open space 300 yards away when you're surrounded by trees. (park here, go 300 yards south) some people have a really hard time navigating with maps. aerial photos are easier to relate too.