State of the Map US15 August 2010

MapQuest Routing using OSM DataDavid NesbittMapQuest, Inc.

Part of AOL LocalAlong with Patch and City’s Best

First popular dynamic web application#2 in Online Mapping in the U.S.50 million unique visitors per monthLack of investment in recent years

But that is changing!

Recently launched major redesign athttp://new.mapquest.com/

Mapquest and OSMMapQuest UK launched at SOTM in Girona

UK site first: http://open.mapquest.co.uk/

Will launch Germany and France shortly

MapQuest France is next

New technology stack (for MapQuest)Mapnik, TileCache, Nominatim, OSM data

Routing still uses proprietary engine

Established $1MM internal fund for OpenStreetMap investmentFocus: improve data within the United States

Use resources from MapQuest and Patch to engage audiences to contributePaying developers to contribute to open source projectsContact us at open@mapquest.com with questions or comments

MapQuest Routing using OSM Data1) We have ingested OSM data into our routing engine

Deploying sites in Europe with OSM routing

Localization work as we move to different countries/languages Route narrative phrases, web page

2) Offer free routing services to developershttp://open.mapquestapi.com/directions/

3) Identify routing issues and develop tools to allow them to be fixed Working with members of the OSM community

4) Work towards using OSM data within USPlan to offer an open.mapquest.com site in the future

US data needs improvements to geocoding and for navigability MapQuest known for accurate directions We have a large, engaged user base across multiple local properties in the US

MapQuest Routing EngineHigh performance and scalability (20K+ routes / minute across 12 hosts)

A* heuristics, road filtering based on network level, efficient link marking and adjacency list structure

Data layout optimized to improve memory / disk cache performance

Route ServicesAdditional routing services (developer services) supported

Mobile turn-by-turn navigation supporthttp://itunes.apple.com/app/mapquest-4-mobile/id316126557?mt=8

Route QualityDirectional link-based algorithm for calculating routes - simplifies issues with turn restrictions

Turn/Intersection costing based on turn geometry and road classes at intersection“Maneuver” penalties to help generate routes with less turns

Link density - slightly favor rural areas vs. urban areas

Driving Directions Data FormatFormat is designed to provide high performance for driving routes

Data layout is optimized to improve cache performance

Route Narrative ImprovementsTailored route narratives create concise, simple directions

New enhanced narrative features like intersection counts, prior maneuvers, and gone-too-far guidance

MapQuest Route Serviceshttp://open.mapquestapi.com/directions/ - based on OSM data

Multiple input/output formats

JSON, XML, key-value pairs

http://www.mapquestapi.com/directions/Current developer services based on commercial data

Route MatrixOptimized Routes (TSP)Path From Route

Computes time/distance of a set of locations from a specific routeTrim a set of locations to those that are on or close to a route

Time dependent routingAccounts for time dependent restrictions and real-time/historic speed data

Draggable RoutesInteractively drag a portion of the route

Alternate RoutesProvide alternate route paths and narrative

Route Matrix

http://www.mapquestapi.com/directions/#matrixCalculates drive time matrix (time and distance)

One-to-many

Many-to-many

Many-to-one (shortly)

Supports wide range of applicationsAs input to more robust route optimization (Traveling Salesman) method

Enhance search results with drive time

In-Car navigation: location finding aidExample: find the nearest gas station / convenience store while driving along an Interstate.

Analysis applications

Meet in the middle

Commuter optimizationDrive time of bank employees to various “branches

Optimized Routeshttp://open.mapquestapi.com/directions/#optimizedTraveling Salesman Problem (TSP)

Combinatorial optimization problem

Brute force approach is not feasible

Well-designed heuristic algorithms can find “near-optimal” routesSimulated annealing approaches, Aarts, et al. (1988)

MapQuest Optimized RoutingCalculates drive time matrix (or pedestrian walking time)

From each location to all others

Find “near-optimal” route using simulated annealing method

Reorder “intermediate” locations to match optimal path

Run a “standard” MapQuest route

Multi-leg

Develops itinerary (narrative and route shape)

Route Data Ingestion

osm4routingOpenStreetMap data parser that creates nodes-edges adapted for routing applications

Route DB PostGRES DB created by osm4route

osm2ddfReads RouteDB to create MapQuest DDF data (including route network)

DDFPostProcess Validates route network, applies turn costs, optimizes network data structures

Driving Directions Format (DDF)Proprietary data format used by MapQuest routing engine

osm4routingosm4routing

OSM XML

Route DBRoute DB

osm2ddfDDFPostProcess

osm2ddfDDFPostProcess

DDFDDFrouting

osm4routing

Modified version of code from http://github.com/Tristramg/osm4routing

Creates PostGRES Route DB with attributes required by MapQuest routing engine

Primarily working with the edges table

DB schema - removed some attributes not required and added some new ones

Perform some data standardization and normalization

Creates a relations/restrictions tableWill look to contribute changes back in the futureIn the process of adding the ability to ingest OSM diff

files

osm4routingosm4routing

OSM XML

Route DBRoute DB

osm2ddfDDFPostProcess

osm2ddfDDFPostProcess

DDFDDFrouting

osm2ddfForms route network and optimizes data structure

Computes link density for urban avoidance

Converts OSM tags into internal attributesMaps highway tags to default speeds and “network level”

Identifies and skip duplicate edgesCreates name file and other files used for narrative

guidanceDid some work to “standardize” ref names: e.g., E 45 E45

Uses some country specific logic

Computes compass directions of links (and begin/end of links)

Allows rapid analysis of turns/intersections during guidance /narrative generation

osm4routingosm4routing

OSM XML

Route DBRoute DB

osm2ddfDDFPostProcess

osm2ddfDDFPostProcess

DDFDDFrouting

Next StepsIncremental / automated data update

Start at weekly route data updates – move to dailyPlan to build some route data validation tools / quality assurance checksBe able to reject and then fix major route issues

e.g., a broken connection along a major InterstateWilling to tolerate errors in local regions but not incorrect edits on major highways

Develop tools to improve OSM data quality for routingData validation and correction toolsWorking with the OSM community and contracting developers

Tune routing engineOptimize performance and quality when using OSM data

Pedestrian RoutingArea landmark enhancements

Traffic Message ChannelInvestigating ways to associate real time traffic information to OSM data

Pedestrian Routing Enhancements

Area features to provide details since walkways and paths are often un-namedhttp://www.mapquestapi.com/directions/v1/route?key=Dmjtd|lu612007nq%2C20%3Do5-

50zah&callback=renderAdvancedNarrative&avoidTimedConditions=false&outFormat=json&routeType=pedestrian&narrativeType=microformat&enhancedNarrative=true&locale=en_BG&unit=m&from=1717%20Champa%20St,Denver,CO&to=100%20W%2014th%20Avenue%20Pkwy,Denver,CO

OSM data improvements for routingTIGER data import quality

Drivewaysold/abandoned roads

Duplicate edges / ways Incorrect onewaysExit information (e.g. motorway exits)

Lack of consistently applied data standards

Model after what is recommended for Germany Exit number, road name to which the exit connects, the city/town that the exit services exit_to?

Relations / RestrictionsOften see intermediate roads being improperly ordered / connectedTime dependent relations – may be more important in US than Europe?

OSM data improvements for routing (cont.)Bad connectivity, disjoint network areasConnection to Ferries

Many are highway = service http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/4838402

Meant for alleyways, driveways, deliveries? Disrupts road filtering / performance

“Isolated" ways that are drivable but not connected to any drivable linkse.g., a drivable service road amongst pedestrian ways City center search may find this as the closest road, driving routes fail

Surface tagsWe care about paved vs. unpaved for vehicle access

Too many free-form tags: e.g., surface = very horrible

Bad Connectivity

Interstate connection without a ramp

Incorrect oneway

http://www.openstreetmap.org/edit?lat=40.066952&lon=-76.287875&zoom=18Thanks to Robert Chell @ 1Spatial

Reversed!

Nice map! Route?

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?minlon=-123.1313941&minlat=49.0071713&maxlon=-123.1313941&maxlat=49.0071713Ferry near Calgary

16 edges!

Questions?

David Nesbittdnesbitt@mapquest.com717-581-4874