HERE Technologies, a location data, and technology platform has showcased two APIs at CES 2020. The HERE Public Transit API helps improve the public transportation experience by providing real-time information from departure boards and other data like service interruptions. The HERE Intermodal Routing API helps provide a smart routing experience across cities by combining public transportation data with other transport modalities (e.g. car, bike, taxi, etc.) to uncover the most efficient way to navigate from one destination to another. These APIs complement HERE's growing portfolio of APIs that aim to streamline all types of transportation through collaboration and data integration.
"The mission for HERE Technologies is to pave the way towards greater collaboration in order to provide a seamless urban mobility experience, by helping public and private organizations to offer enhanced multimodal services to their customers," Giovanni Lanfranchi, HERE Technologies CTO, commented in a press release. "We provide an open platform for content providers to offer and publish urban mobility data that can be integrated into applications to optimize the needs of the urban traveler."
The Public Transit API pulls data from all available public sources. While such data is helpful in itself, the API includes additional intelligence that can suggest options based on that data: "For example, if a train is leaving in two minutes but the station is a five-minute walk, the API is smart enough to know you may need to take the next connection or use a different means of transportation."
The Intermodal Routing API consolidates public transportation data with information from other modes of transportation to create a smart routing experience. By considering all potential options between two coordinates, the API can create the most efficient route and mode(s) of transportation. The API can also account for traffic congestion, low emissions zones, and other variables that can impact a given route. The Deutsche Bahn Park+Ride app for Android and iOS has used the API to help commuters combine car and public transit options in Stuttgart.
HERE continues to innovate with location data. It combines both crowdsourced data, transportation data, and public transit data to create new solutions to growing problems with commute.