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Enabling Market Growth Through Media Compatibility
Summary
In order to achieve the growth the in-vehicle navigation industry promises, a significant obstacle must be overcome: the lack of media compatibility. Simply put, media compatibility is the ability to use a map database media interchangeably in any navigation unit, regardless of manufacturer. At the request of multiple navigation system developers, NAVTEQ developed a suite of software technologies, called SDALTM, that provides compatibility for map data products.
This paper explains the need for compatibility through the provision of a universal media format, the positive consequences of it for the in-vehicle navigation industry at large, and how SDAL can accelerate its achievement.
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The Importance of Compatibility
Navigation Systems products are capturing the attention of the driving public, but the market is being slowed and complicated because each system currently requires a map database configured to its own proprietary format. To use an analogy, if music CDs worked the same way as map data CDs currently do, it would not be possible to play a CD in different manufacturers' audio systems. Different hardware manufacturers would require information to be organized on the music CD according to their own proprietary format. This would make the process of both buying and selling music CDs extremely complicated and expensive and the market very small or non-existent. Media for navigation products are equally complex today. The confusion caused by many proprietary formats is exactly the state of map data media today.
This lack of compatibility is costly for everyone. End users are easily confused as to which map data CD to buy. Distributors are faced with complicated distribution logistics and unfavorable economies of scale, since they need to stock relatively small quantities of multiple media formats to meet customers' needs. Product manufacturers grapple with expensive development and maintenance activities that result from proprietary solutions. In brief, there is a clear need in the in-vehicle navigation marketplace to make end-user access to map data CDs more straightforward, to simplify distribution, and to reduce product manufacturers' development costs. Media compatibility addresses these problems.
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The Need for a Standard Format
The key to achieving compatibility among navigation system platforms is the creation of a standard media format (or Physical Storage Format, PSF) for navigation/route-guidance applications. A standard PSF would ensure that information is organized on the media in a consistent way, thus gaining access for any navigation application that reads the standardized PSF to a world of interchangeable map data CDs.
Industry stakeholders have recognized the need for a standard PSF and are working together in the International Standards Organization (ISO) to create one. This international consensus building effort is a lengthy process, and it is likely that an approved ISO PSF standard will not be available for several years.
A few years ago, several navigation product manufacturers concluded that the obstacles to market growth created by the lack of media compatibility had to be addressed sooner than an industry standard could be realized. These manufacturers approached NAVTEQ seeking a solution. Understanding the importance of this concept and it importance to the development of the market, NAVTEQ embraced the idea in early 1995 and started development of SDAL later that year.
While NAVTEQ continues to work with product developers on SDAL, it also recognizes the importance of achieving an industry standard within the context of the ISO community. This commitment is demonstrated through NAVTEQ' active participation in ISO.
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The SDAL Solution
SDAL is platform-independent data access and storage technology developed by NAVTEQ that enables compatibility across in-vehicle navigation products through the sharing of specific software components. By using SDAL, product manufacturers and car companies realize simplified product development, streamlined distribution and simplified inventory management. As a result, consumers can select and purchase a map data CD more easily and the overall navigation market will grow more rapidly.
SDAL includes the following elements:
- A physical storage format (SDAL Format).
- A compiler to translate map data and value added data (such as branded third party data) into the SDAL Format.
- A Data Access Library (DAL) of routines to handle low-level data access.
- A Data Access Programming Interface (DAPI). The DAPI is a software interface layer that isolates customer-specific application software from the size, complexity, and evolution of the navigable map database. The DAPI is rich enough to support all envisioned application functionality for a wide range of product capabilities.
The software components of a navigation system, which uses SDAL include: the application software, the Data Access Programming Interface ("DAPI") and the Data Access Library ("DAL").
It is important to note that the SDAL technologies exist outside the realm of application software. Application software is completely the domain of the navigation product manufacturer, enabling a high degree of product differentiation. The application software includes the software functions that perform route calculation, route guidance, map display, positioning, and include the user interface, etc. This application software needs to have access to map database information to complete these tasks. This is where SDAL components like DAPI, DAL, and PSF come into play.
The DAPI is an interface layer of software calls (typically about 100 or so) used by the application software to retrieve information from the database. The DAL is the software used to execute what was requested through the DAPI. An example of what the application software might request to the DAPI is "get me the street names in the city of San Francisco". Once the request for information is made using the DAPI, the DAL looks through the database, decides what information is valid for the request, packages the result, and returns the result for the application's use.
The PSF specifies how the data is organized on the media. The SDAL PSF (SDAL Format) is optimized for in-vehicle navigation applications. In our previous example, the DAL uses the PSF to know exactly where to look on the media for the information requested by the application. The PSF can be thought of as the cornerstone of compatibility-if a navigation system can read the PSF, that navigation system can share the same CD set as other navigation systems that read the PSF.
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Publishing SDAL Specifications
From nuts and bolts to data networking protocols like the Internet, history teaches us that the more open a specification, the more likely it is to help markets develop and grow. With this principle in mind, NAVTEQ will publish the SDAL PSF to the in-vehicle navigation community. This will enable anyone interested in this technology to examine SDAL and, if it suits their purposes, implement the approach royalty-free.
When the specification is published, navigation application
developers may share in the benefits of compatibility in one
of two ways. First, product manufacturers may take advantage
of NAVTEQ's implementation of the specification. Second, they
can use the publicly disclosed SDAL PSF specification to build
their own implementation.
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Key Benefits of Implementing Technology Based on the SDAL Specification
Media Compatibility Across Systems. When media compatibility is achieved, end users will have a much easier time finding and identifying map database CDs that run in their navigation systems.
Platform-Independence. The SDAL Format specification was very carefully designed to be platform independent and portable to just about any platform. Application developers can make their own selections regarding operating systems, CPU chips, device drivers, etc.
Standard and Open Technology. There are many examples of how the establishment of a defacto, open standard has changed an industry. Examples include IBM vs. Apple, VHS vs Beta, HTML, and Java (just to name a few). NAVTEQ will publish the SDAL Format Specification.
Product Differentiation. The SDAL Format scope is limited to data storage. This enables the differentiation of navigation products. The components seen by consumers (hardware, performance, data display, user interface, etc.) are where much of a product's uniqueness is determined. The design of these is left to the complete discretion of manufacturers. The manufacturer maintains control over a product's functionality, performance, and price.
Simplified Distribution and End-user Access. The major advantage for distribution under the universal media concept is simplicity. For example, with a proprietary approach where there are 10 navigation product manufacturers, there would be 10 CD titles for each geographic region (e.g Germany in format A for Navigation Product A, Germany in format B for Navigation Product B, Germany in format C for Navigation Product C, etc.). With a universal CD, the number of defined geographic areas, or content, determines the number of titles (eg. Germany CD works with Navigation Products A, B, C, D, etc.). Further, end users are able to quickly make purchase decisions based on content, coverage, and quality rather than on compatibility. Finally, retailers are able to stock a larger variety of content and better serve mass market consumer demand.
Industry Support. SDAL incorporates requirements and feedback from a total of 17 Participants and 11 Supporting Participants. This open design process was accomplished through a "participation" program: SDAL Participants and SDAL Supporting Participants. SDAL Participants are companies who develop navigation products. SDAL Supporting Participants are industry players who have an interest in the success of this technology, like automotive companies, consulting companies and distributors. The participation program enabled the design engineers to think in terms of "industry use" and to avoid approaches that were too specific to a single company or application.
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Conclusion
Open standards are catalysts for market development, driving down costs, promoting compatibility, healthy competition and innovation. As part of an ongoing effort to spur industry growth, NAVTEQ has provided an open-media compatibility solution, the SDAL Format, by publishing the SDAL Physical Storage Format specification.
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