In a strategic move to enhance its technological independence and reduce costs, Ola Cabs has announced its complete transition from Google Maps to its own in-house mapping solution, Ola Maps. Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder-CEO of Ola, shared this development in a recent post, highlighting significant financial savings and future innovations.
Exiting Google Maps
Ola’s decision to exit Google Maps comes after years of reliance on the tech giant’s mapping services, which cost the company approximately Rs 100 crore annually. With the shift to Ola Maps, the company aims to eliminate this expenditure entirely, channeling resources towards enhancing their proprietary mapping technology.
Future Enhancements and Features
Aggarwal outlined several upcoming features for Ola Maps, including street view capabilities, neural radiance fields (NERFs), indoor images, 3D maps, and even drone maps. These advancements are poised to enrich user experience across Ola’s platforms, from ride-hailing services to their expanding ecosystem of electric two-wheelers.
Strengthening Technological Sovereignty
The move towards Ola Maps is part of Ola’s broader strategy to bolster its technological sovereignty. This initiative began with Ola’s acquisition of GeoSpoc in October 2021, a Pune-based company specializing in geospatial services. This acquisition has played a pivotal role in developing Ola Maps to meet the specific needs of their ride-hailing operations and beyond.
Transition from Microsoft Azure to Krutrim
Earlier this year, Ola also shifted its workload from Microsoft Azure to Krutrim, its own indigenous cloud platform. This transition was prompted by an incident involving Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, which led to a significant loss for Microsoft in India. Aggarwal emphasized the importance of building India’s own technology stack, including AI models, cloud infrastructure, data centers, and chips, to reduce dependency on foreign tech firms.
Building India’s Technological Stack
Aggarwal stressed the need for India to have control over its data sovereignty, advocating for the localization of data storage and technological capabilities. He highlighted that while India generates 20% of global data, only 3% of it is stored within the country—a gap that needs to be addressed through domestic technological solutions like Krutrim Cloud.
Conclusion
Ola’s transition to Ola Maps marks a significant step towards self-reliance in technology, aligning with India’s broader aspirations of technological sovereignty. As Ola continues to innovate and expand its offerings, including through Krutrim Cloud services, the future looks promising for homegrown technological advancements in the country.
Stay tuned for more updates on how Ola’s in-house innovations reshape the landscape of digital services and mobility solutions in India and beyond.