Mapping the future: OpenLR ensures nothing is lost in translation

Dynamic location referencing is facilitating rapid advances in vehicle navigation and mapping services, paving the way for a self-driving future. To help define a common standard for location referencing, Elektrobit, TomTom and the Traveller Information Services Association (TISA) recently founded the Open-LR e.V. Association. Their aim is to ensure that the OpenLR referencing method for navigation and mapping remains accessible and free. OpenLR is a standard for procedures and formats when it comes to encoding, sending and receiving local data. TomTom launched OpenLR as an open source software project back in 2009, offering a royalty-free dynamic location referencing method. It facilitates data exchange and cross-referencing using digital maps from different vendors. Maps today are not simply standalone features used by themselves; they are enhanced with additional information such as online traffic updates. If there is congestion on a certain stretch of road, this information needs to be linked exactly to the right section of the map down to the correct lane. It also needs to be communicated to all drivers, not all of which use the same system. Information remains up to date thanks to feedback from drivers, but the challenge is coordinating the many different versions in use. A driver may see another car break down on the other side of the road and want to report that. His navigation system has a specific version of a map from a specific vendor. Drivers using different maps from different vendors must also be able to use that information. The location reference to that incident needs to be mapped for everybody else on the same road. "In theory we have a coordinates system available in the form of latitude and longitude, but if I send a geo-coordinate, this needs to be linked to the right piece of the road, or road segment, on a digital map. There may be slight variations in the map," explained Martin Schleicher, Head of Business Management at Elektrobit. This is the problem that OpenLR wants to solve by offering a common language for communicating. Traffic incidents are just one example of a use case - there could potentially be many more functions and services where people would need to be able to map a dedicated point or area on the map and link it to the right place on a different map. Supporters of the OpenLR believe any common language must be offered in an open way. Others have offered versions before, including TMC (traffic message channel) through FM radio. "This does offer a way to map traffic congestion on certain pieces of the map but it has limitations," cautioned Schleicher. "There are other standards with a similar approach out in the market, but, so far, we have not seen a generic forward-looking solution that is able to address a wide field of different use cases." TISA believes OpenLR can make a big difference in traffic safety and overall transport efficiency. The Agency covers the entire value chain for traffic information, from data generation up to the end user. "We are very keen to secure the optimum service for the driver, especially with our focus on safety-relevant information. For this you need precise location referencing," TISA President Thomas Kusche-Knezevic told Automotive World. "OpenLR offers a method to address any point in the world with the highest precision. That's necessary if you want to provide information about the end of a traffic queue." Crashes occurring as vehicles run into the end of a queue account for a notable proportion of annual road fatalities - about one-third in Switzerland, for example. A timely warning for drivers of what lies ahead could help considerably. To be effective, Kusche-Knezevic believes the geo-referencing method has to be a global one. So far the reaction from automotive players has been positive. "The interest to be a part of this is huge," he emphasised.

Mapping the future: OpenLR ensures nothing is lost in translation

The founders of the Open-LR e.V. Association speak to Megan Lampinen about the importance of a generic forward-looking solution that is able to address a wide field of different use cases

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