Somebody (presumably from the USA) complained about “Open Street Maps just not being as updated as Google.”
That got me thinking. I’m from Europe.
First of all I haven’t had a Google account or regularly used any of their products for over a decade. So I need to ask.
And by Openstreetmap (OSM) I mean the maps themselves that are used by many apps, routing services, and even secondary map providers.
OSM is community-driven. It requires people to actively participate, or at least deliberately install apps that do that I guess, to create maps and keep them up-to-date.
Google Maps is an app. Where do the maps come from? The data they get automatically (from their users; one might claim it’s community driven too, lol) and those cars with those weird cameras on top and probably something else. Maybe they even take from OSM.
OSM probably won’t ever be able to “see” traffic jams, but apart from that it works very well, gives me a satisfying mapping and navigation experience by car, bike or foot.
And many big professional/official sites rely on OSM.
So, is that not the case in other places in the world, e.g. the USA? How often do you see these Google cars? I haven’t seen one in ages. Let’s say once a year.
I hope you get the main drive of my question. It’s about how crtain “alternatives” to Big tech work, and are perceived, in different places around the world, although the Europe-USA comparison is bugging me the most.
In rural Northeastern Japan, OSM was basically worthless for finding and routing to businesses which is the main thing I’m doing if I have to be driving somewhere.
When on my motorbike, I’m using google maps to navigate. I usually use my car’s built-in (domestic Japanese) navigation unless it’s somewhere too new (it struggles in Eastern Tohoku coastal areas because of all the rebuilding and rerouting after the tsunami in 2011 and I can’t be arsed to pay to have it updated).
A google car went by my house in the last two years (though I don’t suspect we’ll see another one for several more). It’s important to note that that’s not the only way they get data, though.
I’ve used Google in Tokyo, but not OSM so I can’t compare the more urban areas.