Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 6770; President & CEO: Toshihiro Kuriyama) has developed the “ALPINE SmartX” navigation app for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Transport providers, used car dealers and logistics mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) providers are among the businesses to be targeted by the October 2020 launch together with Alpine Electronics Marketing, Inc., the Alps Alpine Group company in charge of aftermarket car audio sales.
As map apps for mobile devices become increasingly sophisticated and offer ever-higher degrees of accuracy, more drivers are using them for navigation while on the road. Existing map apps, however, are still not up to the standard set by traditional navigation systems. For instance, it is often hard to determine the exact timing for a left or right turn, or the generated route might guide the car down a dangerously narrow lane. A lot of outstanding issues remain, particularly in regard to commercial uses, such as in the taxi industry or logistics.
Alps Alpine’s newly developed “ALPINE SmartX” navigation app has diverse features. Besides normal map functions, the app includes a parking lot search and vacancy information feature designed for use in self-driving mode, and display of one-way road indications on the 100-meter scale view, as well as countdown guidance leading up to a turn based on the number of traffic lights rather than the distance – an industry first for a navigation app(according to our investigation). Features of the Big X Series large-screen navigation system, the top-ranked aftermarket navigation system in terms of customer satisfaction for eight years in a row1, are exhaustively redeployed in the Alpine SmartX app and include popular functions, an easy-to-view screen and a user interface (UI) that is easy to operate. The app also employs an original algorithm, based on many years of expertise gained through car navigation system development, realizing accurate positioning, as well as improved route quality for a more comfortable ride to the selected destination.
Making the most of the app format, a frequent full automatic update of map data every two months ensures provision of the most recent information. Parameters are broader so that facilities on maps and details about them are kept up to date along with road data.
Besides linking location information to other Alpine Electronics Marketing smartphone apps, it is possible to deliver single-package solutions encompassing a wide range of mobility-related services offered by transport providers, used car dealers and logistics MaaS providers, including customer-specific communication specs, development of dedicated devices and linked webpage creation. And on the navigation data server, an application programming interface (API)2 provides extensibility, allowing accommodation of other companies’ services. As well as minimizing the customer’s service development workload, new value is created.
In addition to the business market, offerings for individual consumers and families will also be explored along with potential uses for data accumulated through use of the app, including information that traditional car navigation systems could not gather relating, for example, to movements after leaving the vehicle. Alps Alpine aims to develop new services to bring safety, comfort and peace of mind to the MaaS age.
- Results of the J.D. Power 2019 Japan Navigation Systems Customer Satisfaction Index StudySM – Aftermarket
- An application programming interface (API) provides partial access to software to enable sharing of functionality with other software.
Features
- Exhaustive redeployment of features of the Big X Series large-screen navigation system
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- Accurate positioning and improved route quality achieved with original algorithm based on car navigation system development expertise
- Full automatic update of map data every two months
Principal Applications
- Navigation for used car dealers; taxis, car share, other transport providers; logistics MaaS providers for home delivery, other services; individuals/families
- Solutions involving collection of log data and application of big data
Planned Release
Launch: From October 2020
Development: Engineering Headquarters – Alps Alpine Head Office (Ota-ku, Tokyo)
Specifications
| App linking | Linking of location information to other Alpine Electronics Marketing apps: “Odekake Concierge” and “Omukae Assist” |
| Security | Handling of personal information: All personal information stored in a data lake with high-level security |
| Service availability | 99% (system robustness) |
| Hours of operation | 24 hours, 7 days |
| Round trip time | 5000ms |
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