SAN FRANCISCO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — September 19, 2024 — Hivemapper Inc., the developer and driving force behind the world’s fastest-growing street-level mapping project, the Hivemapper Network, today announced the launch of its new mapping innovation brand: Bee Maps.
Bee Maps (beemaps.com) exists to serve map data customers with unparalleled freshness and accuracy. It does so by tapping into the cutting-edge capabilities of the Hivemapper Network, a decentralized platform that uses purpose-built dashcams to gather real-time, street-level imagery from contributors worldwide and extracts real-time AI road intelligence.
With 16 million kilometers (10 million miles) of unique map coverage since its launch in late 2022, the Hivemapper Network has added coverage five times faster1 than Google Street View, setting a new standard for cost-effective map data collection and updates. The network already offers unique coverage for more than 26% of the world’s roads, with the strongest coverage across North America, Europe, South Korea and Japan.
Unlike most map data providers, the Hivemapper Network aims to foster an open-source map data ecosystem where thousands of developers – including Bee Maps – can prosper by creating innovative, specialized products for distinct industries and regions. This ecosystem will benefit from diverse inputs, including street-level imagery, satellite data, and GPS traces, resulting in the richest decentralized, crowdsourced mapmaking data source available.
“To use an analogy, the Hivemapper Network is the Android operating system and Bee Maps is the Google division that builds services and Pixel phones on top of Android,” says Ariel Seidman, co-founder of the Hivemapper Network and the CEO of the Bee Maps brand.
“Google could have kept Android closed and sold their phones as Android phones. Instead, they created an open platform, encouraging competition among manufacturers – including themselves,” Seidman says. “Similarly, we have always envisioned a diverse range of developers building atop the Hivemapper Network. Bee Maps is our own offering, but it is just the first of many. By creating this distinction, we’re laying the foundation for a vibrant, competitive ecosystem.”
With the launch of Bee Maps, Hivemapper Inc. will no longer sell map data under the Hivemapper brand. Instead, it will market its products under the Bee Maps brand on beemaps.com and note that these products are “powered by Hivemapper.” Other developers building on the Hivemapper Network can market their products as “powered by Hivemapper,” ensuring a level playing field.
Bee Maps currently offers a suite of cutting-edge products, including:
- Map Image API: Providing high-resolution map images for a variety of applications.
- Map Features API: Delivering detailed and geolocated map features, crucial for next-gen technologies like autonomous vehicles and AI training.
- Scout: Real-time street-level imagery accessible from global locations.
The demand for real-time, accurate map data is growing rapidly, driven by the rise of autonomous vehicles, advanced logistics, and emerging technologies that depend on precise geospatial information. The mapping and geospatial industry is now valued at $250 billion to $300 billion annually, underscoring its importance to the global economy.
With contracts already in place with three of the top 10 global mapmakers, including industry giant HERE Technologies, Bee Maps is pioneering a new way to build fresher, smarter maps.
For Contributors
For contributors who are mapping with dashcams or participating as AI Trainers, nothing changes. The rules and policies of the Hivemapper Network are unaffected and remain exactly the same.
While the Bee Maps team benefits from the expertise of having built the Hivemapper Network, it holds no special privileges as a developer. Bee Maps pays the same as any other developer to use network data, ensuring fairness and transparency.
About Bee Maps
Bee Maps, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hivemapper Inc., is a pioneering brand dedicated to providing the freshest and most precise mapping data available. By leveraging the unique capabilities of the Hivemapper Network, Bee Maps offers a range of products designed to meet the growing demand for real-time, high-quality map data across various industries.
For more information, visit beemaps.com and docs.hivemapper.com.
1 Google Street View launched in May 2007 and announced in May 2017 that its vehicles had covered 10 million miles. Hivemapper launched in November 2022 and reached 10 million miles in September 2024.
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Contact:
Benjamin Noble
Comms Lead
Benjamin.Noble@hivemapper.com
+1 919-721-3590
