In an exciting development in the realm of geospatial technologies, the Overture Maps Foundation (OMF) has unveiled its inaugural open map dataset. This endeavour is a product of collaborative efforts from tech giants and geospatial firms that have coalesced under the umbrella of the OMF. The unveiling is a testament to the team’s commitment to facilitating cutting-edge, interoperable open map services.
What sets the new release apart are its four distinctive data layers: Places of Interest (POIs), Buildings, Transportation Network, and Administrative Boundaries. In a nutshell, these layers are a mosaic of open map data sources that have been authenticated and blended through a rigorous quality assurance process. The data follows the Overture Maps data schema, a public release from June 2023.
The Places of Interest dataset is an invaluable addition to the data set, with data on a staggering 59 million places across the globe. This dataset is anticipated to revolutionize navigation, local search, and a myriad of other location-based applications.
Behind OMF’s collaborative model lies the idea that map data should be a shared resource to cater to future needs. The OMF was brought to life in December 2022 by an impressive roster of founders – Amazon Web Services (AWS), Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom. Today, the foundation also encompasses a host of mapping, geospatial, and tech companies such as ESRI, Cyient, InfraMappa, Nomoko, Precisely, PTV Group, SafeGraph, Sanborn, and Sparkgeo.
Reflecting on the release, Marc Prioleau, the Executive Director of the Overture Maps Foundation, shared, “The Overture 2023-07-26-alpha.0 release represents a significant milestone in creating a comprehensive open map dataset. The Places dataset opens up previously untapped potential, mapping everything from startups to fleeting street markets, irrespective of their global location. While the initial data is a commendable start, the challenge lies in keeping pace with a world in constant flux to meet user demands. Our plan is to foster a vast collaboration that can curate and upkeep a comprehensive, updated POI database.”
Zooming into the datasets, each layer offers unique value. The Places of Interest layer comprises over 59 million POI records, a treasure trove of data that had not been previously available as open data. The Buildings layer offers more than 780 million unique building footprints worldwide. The Transportation layer depicts the global road network while the Administrative Boundaries offer a worldwide dataset of national and regional administrative boundaries, including regional names translated into more than 40 languages.
The data is presented in OMF’s recently released data schema. This setup enables developers to integrate and utilize map data in a uniform, documented way, ensuring compatibility across various platforms and applications. With this release, OMF is set to empower map builders, location service providers, and users with quality, free data, pushing the boundaries of geospatial technology.
