Interview: Rajat Tandon, Country Director, Sales, NAVTEQ India Pvt. Ltd.

Rajat: In 2003 we did some contracts for a maps database in India. However it wasnt till July 2008 that we set up our first sales office. In the same year we also set up a global R&D center in Mumbai and till date we have managed to map 84 cities completely. Apart from this, we have an additional 81 cities mapped at a base level, meaning that the data on these 81 additional cities is not verified as of yet, but its good enough to guide you. The complete highway grid is mapped and we have over 628,000 kilometers of roads in our system.

ZW: Unlike the west where navigation devices have witnessed a strong following, the Indian market is rather different. What are you views on this?

Rajat: There is no doubting the fact that the Indian market is different, but then that is only a challenge in terms of providing a customized option for this market. Navigation tools are a requirement no matter what. Who wouldn't want to benefit from having an easy method to get around a city, town or country for that matter without having to constantly stop and ask for directions. India has a strong mobile influence and Internet usage is high. It is only a matter of time before navigation devices find an increasing popularity here as well.

ZW: What are the challenges you are facing in this market?

Rajat: As a matter of fact, we see the Indian market as a big opportunity. With more people opting for high end mobile phones with GPS enabled services, an improvement in infrastructure and car makers also looking at making a difference, our work is actually becoming a little easier. Yes, it is a challenge to change a mindset. We are accustomed to asking for directions and our notion of navigation is very visual based. Think about it, when you stop and ask someone for directions in India, they rarely tell you a street name, its always visual landmarks that finally guide you. That is on the mindset front. From a service provider perspective, there are other challenges in terms of roads changing thanks to the sheer amount of construction taking place especially in the major cities. Roads are closed, new roads are built, small changes in terms of detours are added, it's a dynamic market and to map it at the pace of development is a tough task.

ZW: You mentioned customization options to help overcome some of these challenges. Could you elaborate on these?

Rajat: What we feel will make a difference is visual and voice guidance systems for the Indian market. I am not just speaking of visual maps, but maps with 3D landmarks that pop up on the screen. A voice system would provide the correct name of places phonetically, instead of a digitized voice that could actually confuse a driver. Further to this there is the element to educate. By opting to drive from point A to point B asking for directions all along the way would require frequent stops which translates to wastage of time and fuel. A navigation device, therefore could lower travel time and reduce your fuel bill! It's not a salient feature, but an outcome of this tool never the less. It's a matter of realizing the other benefits that come along with a navigation device, be it in your car or just a hand held tool. People often overlook the aspect of safety. You really don't want to role your window down and stop in some dark alley at night to ask for directions. You wouldn't want your loved ones to do that either. With a navigation device there is the comfort in knowing that you are never lost, for there is a tool to guide you to your home.

ZW: Another area of interest is multi modal services. It is my understanding that you have something up your sleeve in that area as well.

Rajat: Precisely. Again this with a serious focus on the Indian market. A multi modal service will allow a user to switch between walk, drive and metro modes.? A lot of hand held devices offer the switch between walk and drive. We are looking at including the metro network for major cities so that a user can utilize this mode of transport with ease as well. Further to this, the service will also incorporate additional features such as points of interest, nearest taxi stands and bus stands to the metro. It's a neat and efficient navigation tool and we hope to have it in 8 cities in India.

ZW: That's a lot on your plate already, what do envisage for the Indian market in the future?

Rajat: We intend on mapping 400 cities across India by 2010. Work is on and we are aggressively going forward on this plan. A lot of local talent is being employed to make this happen and we are bullish of our target. Post this, there is a host of opportunities to unravel. From a tourism perspective we could really detail the points of interest across the country, work out options for traffic management systems which would eventually tie in with our navigation tools as traffic updates, include air travel status and flight times, which would be a boon considering how frequent our planes are late. The potential is vast, it is just a matter of making it relevant and that is what we intend on doing.