As cutting-edge mapping technologies revolutionise the automotive landscape, Genesys International's ambitious projects across India demonstrate how precise geospatial data is becoming the cornerstone of future mobility solutions.
09 Dec 2024 | 5737 Views | By Shahkar Abidi
On any given day, more than a hundred vehicles bearing the Genesys International insignia navigate India's bustling, intricate roadways. Overhead, four aircraft equipped with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) systems—each sensor more expensive than the aircraft themselves—crisscross the skies, while a fleet of drones hums above the teeming cities like ...
This is an Autocar Pro Plus article. Subscribe to continue reading.
On any given day, more than a hundred vehicles bearing the Genesys International insignia navigate India's bustling, intricate roadways. Overhead, four aircraft equipped with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) systems—each sensor more expensive than the aircraft themselves—crisscross the skies, while a fleet of drones hums above the teeming cities like Mumbai. Together, they spearhead an ambitious endeavour: to reimagine India's urban and rural topography with unprecedented precision, building the foundation for smarter, safer, and more seamless automotive and mobility solutions.
"We have worked across the globe, and across the value chain of map creation", Sameer Sankhe, Chief Digital Officer of Genesys International Ltd reflected. "We have gone to Siachen, we have gone to Afghanistan and Assam, Konkan Railway -- very difficult terrain -- and mapped everything."
That experience has now been applied to an ambitious new project: creating a 3D digital twin of Mumbai for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a Rs 155-crore undertaking that promises to transform the way the city is planned, navigated, and understood. From the sweeping curves of flyovers to the intricate details of century-old building façades, Genesys is capturing the organic complexity of Mumbai's urban sprawl with remarkable clarity.
The ground beneath their feet
To begin, Genesys teams meticulously survey Mumbai's streets with topographic mapping tools, collecting data critical for infrastructure planning. They capture elevation, terrain features, and gradients with surgical accuracy—data that is invaluable for the motor sector, where navigation systems increasingly rely on topographical nuances to optimise routing and improve fuel efficiency. For advancing autonomous vehicle development, such details are crucial, enabling the calibration of systems that interpret real-world driving conditions.
Meanwhile, airborne LiDAR systems complement this work by generating dense, 3D point clouds that document every detail of the cityscape. Every crack in the pavement, curve of a flyover, or ornamental flourish on a century-old façade becomes a data point in a vast mosaic. This level of detail makes such models indispensable not just for urban planners but also for motor manufacturers developing the next generation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
Genesys's work extends beyond terrain mapping. Its research teams thoroughly analyse the road network's anatomy, documenting lanes, intersections, and ramps, along with their materials, conditions, and dimensions. They map the location of traffic lights, road signs, and even patterns of dynamic traffic flow—details that directly inform route optimisation algorithms used by motor manufacturers and logistics firms alike.
Parking, often the greatest challenge of urban mobility, receives thorough attention. Genesys identifies the locations and capacities of on-street and off-street parking while also detailing pathways for pedestrians and cyclists—acknowledging the rising importance of multi-modal transportation. With electric vehicles gaining popularity, the company is also mapping EV charging stations, a critical dataset for manufacturers transitioning to greener technologies.
From data to decisions
However, data collection is only the first step. Where Genesys truly steps into the future is with its application of these vast datasets. Using digital twin models—virtual replicas of physical environments—the company can simulate everything from traffic congestion scenarios to emergency evacuation plans. For the motor industry, this means predictive tools that go beyond navigation. Algorithms built on Genesys's data can forecast traffic jams, identify road deterioration, and optimise mobility patterns, all of which contribute to a more seamless and safe driving experience.
For manufacturers, the layered maps and datasets unlock new possibilities. Imagine ADAS systems that predict bottlenecks before they form, or logistics software that reroutes delivery fleets to avoid delays. With live traffic data layered atop static maps, this modern-day mapping work brings us closer to the dream of truly autonomous and intelligent mobility systems.
From Varanasi to the Gulf: Genesys expanding digital horizons
Genesys International is no stranger to ambitious or complex projects. In Varanasi, one of India's oldest and most enigmatic cities, the company is constructing a 3D urban spatial digital twin, a living, breathing digital replica of the cityscape. The goal? To address the challenges of modern urban life: mitigating traffic congestion, streamlining waste management, and preventing the floods that routinely threaten this sacred riverside metropolis. Here, in the labyrinth of narrow lanes and sacred ghats, Genesys is laying a technological foundation that promises to outlast the city's sandstone temples.
Further West, in Pune—a booming hub of tech innovation—Genesys is advancing its capabilities with a Rs 35-crore contract to integrate Internet of Things (IoT) sensors with a 3D digital twin. By combining IoT data streams with precise geospatial modelling, the project offers a glimpse of a future where cities are not merely reactive but proactive: predicting traffic bottlenecks before they form and optimising waste collection routes in real-time.
Genesys's ambitions extend beyond Indian borders. A recent achievement came in the form of a Rs 76-crore contract secured by one of its subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia, where the company is developing a large-scale digital twin of urban environments.
In India, the company's collaborations suggest transformative possibilities. Through a partnership with Google, Genesys licenses its meticulously captured street imagery to enhance the country's burgeoning 5G infrastructure. These high-definition visuals serve as more than street-level detail; they provide a crucial layer for network analytics, helping to identify coverage gaps and optimise connectivity. In this way, Genesys isn't merely charting roads—it's paving them, ensuring India's advancement into the future of communications is as seamless as its maps.
Market outlook
The geospatial industry stands at a pivotal moment, where technological innovation meets an increasing demand for location-based insights. Globally, and particularly in India, the once-specialised domain of geospatial technologies is breaking boundaries, becoming integral to urban planning, agriculture, transportation, defence, and environmental management. What was once the domain of surveyors and mapmakers has become the foundation of modern infrastructure and sustainability strategies.
The numbers tell a compelling story: in 2022, the global geospatial analytics market reached $85.77 billion, a valuation that, according to Grand View Research, is projected to grow at a robust 12.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2030. This trajectory reflects not just market growth but the diverse applications of geospatial tools in addressing humanity's most complex challenges, from urban development to climate change.
India's growth story is even more remarkable. The liberalisation of the country's geospatial data policy in 2021—a watershed moment—has catalysed innovation and investment. According to Mordor Intelligence, India's geospatial market, currently valued at $1.21 billion, is projected to double to $2.42 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 14.82%. These figures reflect multiple driving forces: the emergence of smart cities, the proliferation of GPS-enabled devices, and the urgent needs of climate resilience and infrastructure development.
Mapping the past, driving the future
Genesys has a legacy spanning over two and a half decades. The company's foundation was established through its groundbreaking work for the U.S. insurance industry in 2004, when it mapped an entire county. This ambitious project offered an alternative to traditional on-site assessments, marking Genesys's early venture into street-level imaging and setting the stage for future innovations.
By 2008, Genesys had turned its attention to India, quickly establishing itself as a pioneer in the geospatial landscape. That year, it developed a navigation map for Navteq Corporation—now HERE Technologies, a global mapping leader backed by German motor giants Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, alongside Intel. The company continued to innovate, introducing LiDAR technology to India in 2010, enhancing its imaging capabilities with precise, high-resolution data. Each subsequent year brought new layers of digitisation, enabling clients to access information with unprecedented speed and clarity. In 2014, Genesys launched WoNoBo—short for "World with No Boundaries"—an online platform offering immersive, navigable street imagery across the nation.
A shift toward the driver's seat
Genesys claims that its offerings extend well beyond traditional navigation. Recognising that a driver's interaction with a map typically begins with a search, the company has focused on making this process intuitive and effortless. Its generative AI-powered voice search technology understands complex natural language commands, enabling smooth communication between drivers and the system.
The company provides various innovative mobility solutions, including Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for intuitive driver-vehicle interaction, marketplace integration for in-vehicle purchases, Driver Behaviour Analysis and Scoring for safety and efficiency insights, and Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) offering personalised premiums based on driving patterns.
With this robust foundation in geospatial data, Genesys has evolved from a service provider to a product-driven enterprise. June 2024 marked the launch of its proprietary automotive navigation map, complete with connected mobility solutions. This represents not just an extension of existing capabilities but a strategic shift to address the growing demand for high-definition, AI-enabled mapping in the motor sector.
Central to this evolution is a new partnership with NNG, a global leader in automotive navigation and connected car technologies. The collaboration aims to integrate Genesys's comprehensive mapping datasets with NNG's AI-driven navigation systems for connected vehicle experiences. NNG's technology, embedded in over 30 million vehicles worldwide, serves a prestigious client roster including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Jaguar Land Rover, Renault, Ford, Mazda, Harley Davidson, McLaren and Porsche.
"By leveraging our AI-powered maps, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) with Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) alongside NNG's exceptional navigation solutions and connect car services, we look forward to using our combined strengths to contribute to building safer and smarter mobility solutions in India", remarked Sajid Malik, the CMD of Genesys International.
The demand for precise, high-definition maps continues to grow, driven by emerging technologies like EV charge-aware routing, cabin personalisation, and advanced ADAS features. "As ADAS evolves, the need for precise mapping becomes indispensable", added Sankhe from Genesys.
Indeed, the future of mobility depends on data. Whether enabling electric vehicles to optimise routes based on charging infrastructure or ensuring increasingly autonomous systems can navigate unpredictable environments safely, the work of Genesys and similar companies represents more than a technological advancement—it signals a fundamental transformation in how humans and machines interact with the world.