A few weeks back I posted a call for Frequently Asked Questions about TomTom’s new Map Share technology. I forwarded your questions to our team of Map Content Specialists and they were kind enough to share their insight into MapShare now that it’s a few months old.

Unfortunately we weren’t able to answer all of your questions, and a lot of the ones we received were quite similar so we’ve lumped some together.

Enjoy! And don’t hesitate to keep the questions coming.

Q: So, I’ve shared my map update with the MapShare community. What happens then? How does it make it to other TomTom Map Share users?
A: The simple explanation is our map content specialists receive the edit shortly after it’s reported. They then use a sophisticated process of verification to determine the precise location and validity of the edit. If they can verify it, they endorse the edit and it’s released to the community. If they can’t verify, it’s not released but it’s maintained in our database for potential further review.

Q: Which POIs are most often added?
A: Top 2 are Krispy Kreme and The Home Depot.

Q: Will TomTom Map Share reflect road changes such as the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis?
A: Absolutely. In fact, that particular road change was submitted to us by numerous users via Map Share shortly after it happened. And that’s a great example of the true crowdsourcing power of this technology.

Q: Do TomTom’s Map Content Specialists have TomToms of their own so they can quickly identify and correct road errors they come across?
A: Of course they do!

Q: What will prevent someone from sabotaging your map data through bogus reports?
A: This was a concern voiced by a lot of people before the program went live. We’re happy to report that fraudulent reports are very very low and map content specialists are always working to ensure that no incorrect edits are released to the community.
The key will be to examine the number of corrections coming in, and most importantly, the consistency and lack of contradictory reports. We will also be able to block users who attempt to abuse the system.

Q: I’ve applied a map error and uploaded it through HOME. How long will it take before others (who’ve appropriately set their map correction preferences) are able to download those corrections?
A: This all depends on how long it takes to verify the user’s change. However, once TomTom map specialists have verified and endorsed the change, it’s immediately released to the Map Share community.

Q: If tons and tons of people start participating and adding new POIs, couldn’t I theoretically get millions and millions of more POIs added to my device? Would a limit ever be placed on how many new POIs I can get?
A: Yes. The number of POIs on your device is limited by the Navcore application. However, the additions/substractions/changes you’re downloading via HOME are very very small.

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