Stefan Knecht, co-founder and CIO of United Maps, got in touch with me providing information about his company and their products. United Maps works hard on adding more value to existing maps, as we know them on Google Maps or in automotive navigation systems, and create digital maps for humans. Considering the increased popularity of GPS enabled mobile devices and the given potential of pedestrian navigation systems, it seems to be the right thing to do these days.
Over at Vector One and at United Maps‘ website (blog) you’ll find detailed information about their product and vision.
I took the chance and asked Stefan some more questions, see below.
Q: United Maps creates digital maps optimized for pedestrian use, a perfect addition to many mobile mapping applications. Who would United Maps consider as primary target group? Is your focus rather on the white labeled map as data product or are you working on API like services to attract individual developers for instance too?
Stefan: I’d like to reframe “target group” to something more universal like “use group”. At the time being, we concentrate on delivering what we carry in our company name: a unification of maps, attributes and use cases to enable mobile people finding their way and discovering things around them.
So the focus is on comprehensive, nationwide and B2B data products rather than on public APIs and just another mash-up. We’re not mashing-up what’s already out there — we try to drill deeper and possibly beyond what’s easily visible on the web.
Q: The OpenStreetMap foundation is currently working on a new licensing model: ODbL should basically allow OpenStreetMap features and copyrighted map features being held in the same database. Have you considered OSM-integration in United Maps?
Stefan: First of all: OSM does a great job, all kudos to them. The recently completed dataset of Hamburg is incredibly good. I wonder how OSM will perform in “flat world”, outside of larger cities and how OSM will be able to scale into less populated and geek-prone areas.
To answer the question and as far as I can judge from the ongoing debates within the OSM community: the modularity of a dozen CC license types shouldn’t be brought into ODbl. The legal situation already is far too complex – and it doesn’t become easier with just another set of derivative licenses and constraints to consider.
Q: I believe gathering detailed cadastral maps across Europe can easily turn into an exhausting process – different legislations, different mapping traditions and INSPIRE implementation has just started. Do your GIS experts consider other and maybe easier accessible sources, such as vectors derived from commercial EO data, rather than official public data to “fill the gaps” in Europe and push United Maps rollout forward?
Stefan: One of our goals is to match INSPIRE specifications on a base level to enable users of our United Maps gather and aggregate data on top. For other data sources besides federal information: any valuable source that can deliver coverage for a given set of national boundaries is welcome and might be licensed and matched with the data we already have. We’re positively testing options – and expectedly, both data availability and legal constraints change at every administrative border … or any 150 miles in Europe.
Q: Nokia Maps is probably a serious competitor for United Maps. As far as I know Nokia Maps, their approach is to provide landmarks instead of precise building footprints to support orientation or even suggest shortcuts through buildings for pedestrian navigation. Where would you see the main difference to Nokia Maps or what aspect do you think makes United Maps the better choice for pedestrians?
Stefan: It would be impudent to name United Maps as a competitor to Nokia Maps. Nokia Maps is a B2C product and naturally powered by Navteq data. For the time being, United Maps is in a B2B space.
I don’t see that precision of footprints is a real issue: it’s rather the availability and rollout of supplemental data to enhance the usage experience on Nokia Maps. If landmarks are helpful – why not integrate them? I don’t see us producing 3D-mockups for a simple reason: if you’re a human on the move, trying to orientate yourself on the 3-inch-screen isn’t really simplified by 3D-models that you rarely see in entirety in the urban jungle. If 3D-models remain picturesque building hulls they act as visual landmarks. The pedestrian shortcuts through buildings can only be produced with a topologically closed and hence routable network beyond — and this ultimately is, what United Maps does: gather content, attributes and pathways that are relevant for people outside of cars.
Q: You’re partnering with the Technical University of Munich. How important is the scientific input for United Maps? Is United Maps a research project?
Stefan: United Maps draws from the research we commissioned at TUM before we started the company. We repurpose the initial scientific results into a commercial setting and take academic aproaches onto a industrial scale. The scientific input is most valuable and will be perpetuated to specific domains and settings. We’re just developing a multimodal pedestrian routing application that seemlessly routes you back and forth through automotive traffic and mass transit alternatives.
The mother of all Q: Will there be an iPhone version of United Maps?
Stefan: United Maps does better, hyperlocal maps at large. The iPhone and all other smartphone devices will use the web for mapping and possibly web services navigation. If there’s a business case for a tailored iPhone application, we’ll do that in-house or offshore it to a partner. We’ll have Germany ready as comprehensive hyperlocal dataset in April, then Austria and Switzerland — everything beyond is subject to change and upcoming partnerships. And we’re naturally open to partnerships of any extent.
United Maps presentation at the Telematics Munich Show
