Ola Cabs To Continue with In-House Navigation Platform Ola Maps Ditches Google Maps

Established in 2010, Ola Cabs is a trailblazing entity in the Indian ride-hailing sector, revolutionizing urban transportation through its all-encompassing and customer-focused transportation offerings. The company places a heavy emphasis on utilizing cutting-edge technology such as Artificial intelligence, Cloud computing, while upholding strict standards of safety and dependability.

On Friday, July 5, the ride-hailing startup’s founder and CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, announced that it has completely left Google Maps and switched to Ola Maps, its own internal navigation system.

Aggarwal stated in a post on X that Ola Cabs will be able to avoid paying Google INR 100 Cr in fees a year thanks to the change.

“We completely exited Google Maps after leaving Azure last month. We used to spend INR 100 Cr annually, but this month we’ve cut that to zero by switching entirely to our internal Ola maps!” Aggarwal stated in a post.

He also hinted at future capabilities, stating that Ola Maps will “soon” introduce features like street view, indoor photos, 3D maps, drone mapping, and NeRFs (neural radiance fields).

Aggarwal also revealed in the same post that Ola Maps’ application programming interfaces (APIs) will be accessible on Krutrim, it’s sister AI cloud platform.

Related: Ola Cabs CFO Karthik Gupta Steps Down After 7 Months as CEO

Six months after Ola Electric commercially debuted Ola Maps in January of this year with the release of the Move OS 4 software platform for its electric two-wheelers, the company has decided to switch to an in-house navigation platform.

The startup has spent more than a year developing its own navigation technology. The mobility firm had said last year that it was working on creating a specific mapping system for its cars and applications. Ola Cabs appears to have discovered opportunities for collaboration with Ola Maps and implemented it into its ride-hailing application.

Surprisingly, the switch to Ola Maps coincides with Aggarwal’s announcement two months ago that the mobility platform would be shifting its IT workload from Microsoft’s Azure cloud to Krutrim’s cloud. The Ola Cabs CEO stated at the time in May that the change was a reaction to Microsoft-owned LinkedIn removing his article in which he referred to the use of the pronoun “they” as a “illness.”

In order to improve its service offerings and maintain its lead in the cutthroat ride-hailing market, Ola Cabs makes use of cutting-edge technologies. Ola increases ride efficiency and optimizes routes by integrating machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations. Real-time data analysis is made possible by these technologies, which can assist forecast demand, shorten wait times, and guarantee that drivers are available when and where they are most needed. This optimizes resource usage while simultaneously improving the user experience.

Ola also uses sophisticated data analytics to learn more about the tastes and behavior of its customers. Through extensive data analysis, the organization can customize its offerings to address certain requirements, provide customized marketing campaigns, and enhance overall client contentment. In addition to helping to see trends and make wise business decisions, this data-driven strategy enables Ola to remain adaptable and quick-thinking in a market that is evolving quickly.

In order to improve vehicle maintenance and safety, Ola has now adopted the Internet of Things. Ola keeps a close eye on the condition and functionality of its fleet using IoT-enabled devices. By keeping cars in top condition and minimizing downtime, this proactive maintenance strategy increases driver and passenger safety. Ola keeps innovating and providing top-notch transportation options by keeping on the cutting edge of technology.

By switching to an in-house platform, Ola will be able to reduce losses and expand Ola Maps even further. In the fiscal year 2022–2023 (FY23), parent company of Ola, ANI Technologies, recorded a consolidated net loss of INR 772.2 Cr, about half of what it had declared in the previous fiscal year of INR 1,522.3 Cr. In the meantime, operating revenue increased to INR 2,799.3 Cr, a 42% YoY increase.

This development coincides with the mobility platform’s recent strengthening of its e-commerce strategy due to its collaboration with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). It was reported last month that the firm intended to use the network to launch its supermarket delivery service.

Ola Electric, sister company and the industry leader in electric vehicles, has been preparing for an IPO. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved its public offering in June. The listing would include an offer for sale (OFS) component of up to 9.51 Cr shares and a new issuance of shares valued at INR 5,500 Cr.

With a rapid integration of emerging technologies (Krutrim AI, Ola Maps), commitment to regulatory framework (ONDC) and a strong belief in Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India), Ola is making serious strides into the minds of customers and investors alike.

This move will provide a serious impetus to the company when it is so close to launching an IPO.