End-to-end NDS Map Production and NDS Map Packaging

Business challenge

Our client, a global mapping software and services company, is one of the key contributors to innovative solutions in the automotive navigation market. The company specializes in delivering maps data and SDK solutions for automotive enterprises, automakers, technology companies, and navigation system manufacturers.

Their cooperation with Intellias started when they requested help with a navigation data standard (NDS)–based map data compiler in 2015. Intellias experts were invited as the client’s team extension to upgrade the entire map compilation process and enable the correct operation of routing, point-of-interest search, and OTA software. We joined our client’s running project and offered lots of technical improvements regarding performance and quality. As a result of this initial cooperation, Intellias managed to reduce the compilation time from 4 to 7 days down to 4 hours.

Our team gained full ownership of the project, which covers the whole NDS maps production, testing, delivery, and maintenance process, turning Intellias into the client’s end-to-end partner for map production and software engineering services.

Solution delivered

Our expertise in automotive navigation and the navigation data standard (NDS) allowed us to quickly establish workflows and operations within the project. The Intellias team of 32 engineers was divided into three dedicated sub-teams leading three major projects covering German, British, and Japanese automotive groups.

We took ownership of map production activities, covering map development, testing, release, validation, and improvements. Intellias also covered the specific process of map packaging, transforming the NDS SQLite database into packages needed for devices used by automotive manufacturers. Maps are updated via the SDK or over-the-air updates. Within two years of cooperation, Intellias had already produced and delivered more than 170 maps for the client, proving almost 100% efficiency.

As part of the first-year plan for working on the managed service project, we focused on reducing costs by introducing a series of changes to the AWS infrastructure:

• Migrating projects from shared AWS accounts to standalone ones
• Splitting the AWS account into Production and Development
• Migrating Helix to GitLab
• Making master-to-slave node improvements to packaging pipelines
• Merging Development and Testing instances into a single one
• Reviewing the S3 storage policy

Our team successfully implemented these changes, which resulted in a 43% reduction in expenses. Besides taking over the data mapping services for our client, Intellias has achieved a Level 2 A-Spice certification.

Business outcome

Our team showed their expertise in working with maps databases, navigation services, NDS maps production, and packaging throughout our cooperation. Our flexibility and consistent operational efficiency gave our client increased predictability, enabling business enhancement and ensuring they could meet all customer agreements.

The Intellias team became an expert consultant covering NDS-specific topics, from the technical base to solution clarifications, and began to represent our client to their end customers. After taking over the NDS map production process, Intellias became accountable for the whole chain of map compilation, from requirements management to the final release. The client is no longer involved in daily processes but benefits from end-to-end delivery.

The efficiency of our NDS map production and packaging solutions has been proven by:

• Introducing infrastructure improvements bringing 43% AWS cost savings
• Speeding up map releases by reducing world map compilation time from 4 to 7 days to 4 hours
• Passing an A-Spice Level 2 assessment in 2020
• Achieving ISO certification in 2020