About Hyundai AutoEver

Hyundai AutoEver (HAE) is an automotive software innovation leader, focusing on both in-vehicle and external vehicle technologies. HAE is advancing development of the software-defined vehicle (SDV) with new vehicle software platforms, navigation software, and HD maps. HAE maintains high standards to ensure the excellence of its vehicle software.

HAE provides a range of solutions and IT services to its automotive OEM customers to help them build, manage, and operate ERP, CRM, and other business systems as well as cloud-based smart factory solutions that support innovative manufacturing businesses.

Solving regional and global map challenges

Regulations in South Korea require that map data remain hosted in the country, presenting a challenge for companies using and building global mapping platforms. As Hyundai AutoEver scales its navigation solutions beyond Korea, it needs a flexible and high-performance mapping engine that can work across vehicle platforms while respecting map data regulations. Legacy mapping platforms fell short in supporting a seamless experience across international markets and Hyundai’s proprietary apps.

HAE partnered with Mapbox to power a unified navigation experience that combines the Mapbox rendering engine and global Mapbox basemap with HAE’s proprietary map tiles for South Korea.

Integrating Mapbox into the routo Maps SDK

Working together, Hyundai AutoEver and Mapbox devised a solution to the challenge of custom regional data within a global basemap, thanks to the flexibility of the Mapbox stack. The new ‘routo Maps SDK’, an advanced platform powered by the Mapbox rendering engine, combines HAE’s specialized South Korean data and traffic services with the core Mapbox rendering engine and the global Mapbox basemap. The hybrid approach allows HAE to meet strict South Korean data regulations while maintaining a consistent user experience internationally. 

Via the routo Maps SDK, Mapbox is embedded in the mobile companion apps for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles — serving over 5 million monthly active users already, with planned expansion across Southeast Asia and India.

Unmatched performance and customization

The Hyundai AutoEver MapService Platform team was impressed with the performance of the Mapbox rendering engine and its ability to seamlessly transition between the Korea-specific basemap data and the Mapbox global map. The ability to finetune map styling with Mapbox allows for a perfect match between the map layers, without any jarring transition or artifacts from the switch in data sources. 

The team also appreciated the efficiency and control provided by Mapbox Studio, which streamlines the workflow for map styling and design, letting the team make global style changes quickly and easily. The companion app maps are responsive and transitions are smooth, with a high-quality feel that extends the overall driver experience.

Our teams found API documentation to be easy to use and features straightforward to implement. Our teams loved using Mapbox Studio — we were able to customize the look of the Mapbox map and navigation UIs to match the individual design languages of GENESIS, HYUNDAI and Kia — something not possible with other platforms.
– Sang-wook Park, routo Maps SDK Manager, Hyundai AutoEver

With the flexibility of the Mapbox stack Hyundai AutoEver has innovated new features, including parking details within companion apps using the routo Maps SDK.

In addition to a full navigation experience, we were able to accomplish our stretch goals of building an indoor parking map experience using the Mapbox SDK and our custom map data. Our solution provides drivers with real-time parking availability information, and guides them directly to the open spot!
– Hyeong-tae Kim, Maps API Manager, Hyundai AutoEver

Faster and more flexible maps improve app performance

Through strategic optimization with the Mapbox engine, Hyundai AutoEver has significantly enhanced map performance such as load times and responsiveness, and made the navigation experience more reliable and intuitive in the companion apps for GENESIS, HYUNDAI and Kia drivers. In benchmarking tests to compare the routo Maps SDK to Google, HERE, and TMAP, the HAE team found that the routo Maps SDK scored higher on overall SDK performance, customization, and support for special features. In particular, tests revealed that Mapbox rendering better supports efficient display of dense markers, clustering of point data, and the addition of polylines and custom polygons – while at the same time maintaining or improving upon overall frame rate.

Only Mapbox has the combination of a modern scalable platform, high-performance rendering capabilities, support for companion apps, and the ability to easily work with third-party data like our Korean map data.
– Hyeong-tae Kim, Maps API Manager, Hyundai AutoEver

The collaboration between HAE and Mapbox continues to identify additional opportunities to further enhance the driver experience. As a result of the positive experience working with Mapbox teams and the Mapbox platform, Hyundai AutoEver is now exploring additional use cases for the routo Maps SDK across industries such as real estate and travel.