Hivemapper launches dashcam-enabled blockchain mapping network
Decentralized mapping startup Hivemapper Inc. launched its global network today that captures and creates map coverage through specialized dashcams and stores the data to a Solona-based blockchain network.
Drivers can now start using dashcams, provided by Hivemapper, to receive rewards in the company’s cryptocurrency, HONEY, for contributing street-level images and adding to the decentralized map of everything they visit.
“Maps are a critical aspect of today’s global economy and technology infrastructure, yet only a handful of the largest technology companies control the $300 billion market,” said Ariel Seidman, CEO and co-founder of Hivemapper. “Hive folders were created to put mapping in the hands of the community.”
The launch follows $18 million in Series A funding for the company led by MultiCoin Capital in April.
Using Hivemapper’s technology, the company aims to take on mapping giants like Google Maps, which can update their maps every year or longer, providing updates as quickly as within seven days. Businesses and governments rely on accurate and up-to-date maps to make informed decisions about their logistics, routing and decision-making, and timely mapping can make a big difference.
Businesses that want to use maps also find themselves at the mercy of large, centralized map companies that have monopolized the industry, Seidman said. Hivemapper’s vision is to disrupt that industry by putting the ability to create maps in the hands of delivery drivers, taxi drivers, gig workers and others who drive the roads every day and can create decentralized maps quickly and cheaply.
At the same time, Hivemapper can sell this data to companies and authorities who want access to accurate, up-to-date map information without the high costs.
“The global coverage and freshness of today’s monopolized maps leaves a lot to be desired,” said Evan Moss, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Hivemapper Inc. “In addition, access to [application programming interfaces] of the maps currently available are prohibitively expensive, making it difficult for customers who want to integrate these map APIs into their applications.”
Hivemapper dashcams are now available in two models: the $549 Hivemapper Dashcam and the $649 security-focused Hivemapper Dashcam S.
More than 5,500 Hivemapper Dashcams have been pre-ordered in 66 countries and have started shipping. Over 200 dashcams were in use during the testing phase of Hivemapper, and at launch a small number of dashcams will already be in use on the network, but this will multiply as these pre-orders arrive over the coming weeks and months.
A first customer for Hivemapper dashcams is the city of Shreveport, which is implementing Hivemapper’s technology to improve its own mapping. Keith Hanson, chief technology officer for the city said the decentralized mapping technology will be used to improve the experience of residents and help the city respond to service calls.
“By deploying Hivemapper across our fleet of garbage trucks, we will be able to leverage near-real-time street-level imagery to better respond to customer service issues and provide our residents with new mapping tools,” Hanson said.
Other cities in which Hivemapper fleets deploy include London and San Francisco.
“The community is just incredibly enthusiastic and passionate about starting to map, and the passion for what we’re building together is incredibly special,” Seidman said. – We do not take it for granted.
Today, Hivemapper also announced the creation of the Hivemapper Foundation, which will manage the scaling of the Hivemapper network, ecosystem and network token distribution. The foundation also announced a partnership with Hivemapper’s first core developer StreamingFast, which will focus on data acquisition and fleet operations.
