SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 9, 2024 – For the third consecutive year Mapbox, a global leader in location technology, has been named the “Navigation Technology Solution of the Year” by the 2024 AutoTech Breakthrough Awards. The Mapbox Navigation SDK is honored to be recognized as one of the world’s premier solutions in the global automotive and transportation technology markets.

The Mapbox Navigation SDK allows developers to create customized navigation experiences within mobile and automotive applications, using either pre-assembled solutions or flexible modular components. Navigation systems built with Mapbox standout for their intuitive driver experience, dynamic 3D rendering capabilities, and reliable performance. Automakers are building the next generation of in-car navigation services with Mapbox, delighting drivers with brand-centric themes and features that surpass the generic interfaces of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With Mapbox, engineers and HMI designers can reclaim the infotainment development process and create nimble, bespoke applications tailored to the needs of their drivers, vehicles, and brand.

The newest advantages of the Mapbox Navigation SDK are the inclusion of AI-enabled navigation features, smart integration with in-vehicle systems, and flexible interfaces to third-party services. The Mapbox Navigation SDK now includes MapGPT, an AI voice assistant service that makes conversations about location and navigation feel natural. Drivers can interact with a MapGPT assistant to control numerous vehicle systems including navigation, entertainment, autopilot, and climate control systems. The assistant can also be configured to integrate additional capabilities from companies like OpenTable, The Weather Company, and TripAdvisor.

For automakers, embedded in-vehicle navigation with Mapbox enables a cohesive and branded user experience. For consumers, Mapbox navigation features enhance the overall driving experience, making it more intuitive and personalized. And for commercial fleets and on-demand logistics providers, the Mapbox Navigation SDK also brings benefits by supporting streamlined delivery processes and reliable service operations.

Mapbox for EV is another feature of the Mapbox Navigation SDK, offering an optimized EV route planning system that integrates with battery systems to monitor energy consumption patterns and intelligently forecast range. Partnerships with charge point operators allows Mapbox for EV to suggest charging stations based on real-time availability as well as facilitate secure payment processing. Mapbox for EV is already used in production in new BMW and MINI electric vehicle models.

In terms of the visual map experience, the Mapbox Navigation SDK transforms in-vehicle navigation with a dynamic basemap with 3D capabilities and adaptive lighting that changes based on time of day. Mapbox 3D coverage includes over 2,075 landmarks across 100 cities and growing. Offering the best map rendering performance in the industry, Mapbox delivers smooth high-fidelity graphics that enhance driver orientation and wayfinding.

The Mapbox Navigation SDK also features a user-friendly, intuitive search experience and highly accurate estimated drive times. Mapbox optimizes routes based on both live and expected Traffic data, informed by signals from hundreds of millions of Mapbox instances that provide live insight into congestion, road closures, and changes to the road network. AI-enhanced Mapbox traffic models adjust for regionally specific driving patterns by learning from millions of comparisons of estimated drive times compared to actual drive times.

“Within the next five years, drivers will no longer need to use their mobile phones inside cars because the vehicle itself will be as connected and full-featured as any mobile application. With the Mapbox Navigation SDK, automakers can create navigation interfaces that promote safer, more efficient driving that is easier to understand and more enjoyable to interact with,” said Peter Sirota, CEO of Mapbox. “This award from AutoTech Breakthrough validates the Mapbox vision and we are excited to keep partnering with automakers to create tailored navigation experiences that their drivers love.”

The mission of the annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program is to conduct the industry’s most comprehensive analysis and evaluation of automotive and transportation technology categories, including Autonomous Driving, Artificial Intelligence, Electric Vehicles, Engine Tech, Automotive Cybersecurity, Telematics, Sensor Technology, Fleet Management, Traffic Tech and many more. This year's program attracted thousands of nominations from over 15 different countries throughout the world.

“The Mapbox Navigation SDK platform accelerates what’s possible when applying location technologies to the automotive experience. Drivers are used to juggling disparate applications from their mobile while on the road creating potential distractions and hazards,” said Bryan Vaughn, managing director, AutoTech Breakthrough. “Mapbox is taking the pace of innovation from the mobile ecosystem and bringing that to the automotive form factor, in a natural and cohesive way. Their SDK Platform brings everything together in one place and prioritizes safety. Congratulations to Mapbox on winning ‘Navigation Technology Solution of the Year!’” 

About AutoTech Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in automotive technologies, services, companies and products. The AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program provides a forum for public recognition around the achievements of AutoTech companies and solutions in categories including Connected Car, Electric Vehicles, Engine Tech, Automotive CyberSecurity, Sensor Technology, Traffic Tech, Vehicle Telematics and more. For more information visit AutoTechBreakthrough.com.

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.