automotive<\/a> company, our client envisioned the need for a change. Their map compilation environment turned out not to comply with the challenging requirements put forward by the new customer.<\/p>\nFirst, their maps had to correspond to a newer NDS specification, version 2.4.x, which offered a richer feature set. Second, apart from pure map data, the compiler was to process and output specific data for the navigation SDK that our client was developing. The third requirement was a radical increase in map compilation performance through the introduction of pre-production map data validation and full verification of NDS compatibility.<\/p>\n
Technology solution<\/h2>\n Intellias joined this project with a team of 16 software and quality control engineers. Our initial task was to migrate the map compiler from NDS v2.2.x to v2.4.x. The compiler transformed the source map data to the target navigation data in the strictly structured NDS format containing product databases, update regions, and building blocks. The migration was carried out in several milestones, including moving to a newer database architecture, correcting and verifying new and broken dependencies, and calibrating the map packaging and validation mechanisms.<\/p>\n
To work seamlessly with in-car navigation solutions built with our client\u2019s SDK, the maps, apart from pure geospatial data, were to contain specific data used by certain navigation functions. Our team upgraded the entire map compilation process to enable the correct operation of routing, guidance, point-of-interest search, and OTA map updates.<\/p>\n
Another project milestone called for migrating the map compilation pipeline and the map testing framework from Oracle servers to Amazon Web Services. The new solution, the Hadoop MapReduce-based framework was a proprietary standard for running automated map tests, including validating the integrity and uniformity of map content. Adapting the testing framework for NDS 2.4.x and moving it to the cloud resulted in cost savings on each map testing session. This proved a significant contribution since each map was recompiled several times per release and the number of releases was constantly growing.<\/p>\n
Improving the map compiler\u2019s performance was another challenge our team succeeded in overcoming. Our client was acquiring new automotive map customers and constantly expanding their map coverage to new countries and regions, so they required faster map compilation speeds. After having quadrupled in size in the course of the year, our Intellias team reworked the solution and succeeded to move the map compiler from NDS v2.2.x to v2.4.x. <\/span>This, coupled with ample computing capacity in the cloud, allowed us to reduce the time for world map compilation from days to hours.<\/p>\nBusiness impact<\/h2>\n The continuous success of our collaboration has resulted in Intellias gradually taking ownership of all product development operations including solution management, product ownership, software development, and finally testing and release management.<\/p>\n
Our team is now migrating all map compilation and testing environments to the most recent NDS 2.5.x that\u2019s destined to go into next-generation premium car models. The overall team size is 70+ at the moment, but there are plans to grow up to 100 members by the end of 2018 to maximize productivity and satisfy increasing development loads.<\/p>\n
Intellias\u2019 expertise helped our client<\/strong><\/p>\n\nExtend collaboration on next-generation navigation solutions supporting the latest NDS 2.4.x and 2.5.x maps with existing automotive customers<\/li>\n Gain new markets and opportunities by increasing the coverage of NDS maps to 120 countries<\/li>\n Enable faster and more stable map releases by reducing world map compilation time from 2\u20133 days to 4\u20136 hours<\/li>\n Enrich maps with specific information that allows OEMs to build modern end-to-end navigation solutions<\/li>\n Move map compilation and testing environments to AWS for enhanced scalability, performance, cost efficiency, and stability<\/li>\n Increase test automation coverage for maps from 70% to 97%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
<\/linearGradient><\/defs><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\tThe partnership resulted in increased efficiency and a 40% reduction in costs, while allowing in-house staff to focus on strategic projects. Intellias impressed with their solid talent acquisition process and quality standards. The agency\u2019s proactive management kept projects moving forward.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t