Recently, Ola, one of the top cab service providers in India, announced that it has now fully exited Google Maps. The company’s founder and CEO, Bhavesh Aggraawal, announced on X (Twitter) that Ola will be switching to its in-house mapping service. This move was made strategically to lower costs and improve self-reliance by reducing dependence on external mapping services such as Google Maps.
It shows a major change from relying on maps from outside providers like Google Maps shows that the company wants more independence and stability in this area.
This shift is within the bigger effort of Ola to build its technology stack which includes cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence skills.
For people who are using Google Maps, they get to use it at no cost. But, businesses that depend on the Application Programming Interface (API) for their services have to pay a lot of money.
Bhavish Aggarwal said Ola was spending about ₹100 crore each year on Google Maps until now; but with Ola Maps being made and used by Ola as an alternative, this expense is gone for good even though there will be ongoing costs related to building and keeping up with this in-house solution.
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Ola Maps Features
Ola Maps is made to help different applications in the Ola ecosystem and also outside of it. Its main features are:
- Street View: Provides detailed imagery of streets, enhancing navigation and user experience.
- Neural Radiance Fields (NERFs): It is a kind of 3D reconstruction technology that can greatly improve map accuracy and visual representation.
- Indoor Images: This technology helps with mapping indoor spaces, making it easier to navigate in complicated places such as shopping centers or airports.
- 3D Maps: Offers a three-dimensional view of locations for a more immersive experience.
- Drone Maps: Utilizes drone technology for aerial mapping, providing comprehensive coverage of areas.
Ola Maps is also backed by its main ride-hailing app and will soon be included in Ola’s electric two-wheelers through a software upgrade. It is constructed over OpenStreetMap, a mapping platform that is open-source and available for free usage. This base has been improved with Ola’s private data to add more functions, and precision.
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How does it differ from Google Maps?
Several key features set Ola Maps apart from Google Maps. Here are some of them:
- Cost Effectiveness: With the creation of its mapping solution, Ola has greatly lessened its reliance on Google Maps and saved ₹100 crore every year.
- Customization: Ola Maps is designed to fit the precise requirements of Ola’s services, permitting more tailored and incorporated solutions inside their system.
- Local Data Sovereignty: Ola’s step supports the idea of Bhavish Aggarwal about having a complete technology stack in India, controlling and owning data. This is very important to decrease reliance on overseas tech big companies and encourage innovation at home.
- API Accessibility: Developers have access to Ola Maps API with Krutrim Cloud, on Android and iOS platforms. This lets other businesses include Ola Maps in their applications, encouraging more use and possible income making.
What’s Next?
Ola has big plans to keep making Ola Maps better, with more features and abilities. This involves using advanced technologies such as NERFs and drone mapping, which can bring even better precision and user experience.
The inclusion of Ola Maps into its electric vehicles and ride-hailing platform is a major move towards creating an uninterrupted user experience that is full of technology advancements.
This change of direction from using outside services such as Google Maps not only saves money but also matches with wider aims of data control and technology freedom.
The many characteristics and coming improvements in Ola Maps make it a strong option for mapping needs, made especially for the Indian terrain.
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