interview withArjan Spigt, Head of Sales at GEOJUNXION


GeoJunxion has a strong past in map development, but it evolved into a creator of specialized map-agnos슬롯c, value-added geolocated data and services for a variety of industries, markets, and applica슬롯ons. They used to say that, at GeoJunxion, “we simplify data complexity by providing solu슬롯ons to our B2B clients”. And it's about intelligence about green zones. Around the world, environmental zones restric슬롯ng vehicle traffic in ci슬롯es are increasing. AEM interviewed Arjan Spigt, Head of Sales at GEOJUNXION.

written by Han_ han@autoelectronics.co.kr

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Q. Please introduce your company. Although it is a startup, I understand that the company has quite along history.

GeoJunxion is a Dutch Scale-up with a par슬롯cular characteris슬롯c: it has decades of history. In fact, the Companywas founded in 1984 under the brand AND, derived from the names of the owners. At that 슬롯me, we wereamong the pioneers of the mapping industry for car naviga슬롯on compe슬롯ng with major brands like TeleAtlasand NavTeq. During the course of the years, the mapping and naviga슬롯on systems industries have undergoneradical changes, consolida슬롯ons, and con슬롯nuous evolu슬롯ons, with the arrival of global Tech Companies likeGoogle, Apple, and Garmin, just to men슬롯on a few of them. Therefore, in the last couple of years, the Companyhas rebranded from AND to GeoJunxion, with the goal to focus on a new strategy. It added a dynamic newexecu슬롯ve management team and is now crea슬롯ng and delivering premium loca슬롯on-aware content andservices to corporates and global tech platforms. Therefore, GeoJunxion has a strong past in mapdevelopment, but it evolved into a creator of specialized map-agnos슬롯c, value-added geolocated data andservices for a variety of industries, markets, and applica슬롯ons. We used to say that, at GeoJunxion, “we simplifydata complexity by providing solu슬롯ons to our B2B clients”.

GeoJunxion's mission is “to become the market leader in loca슬롯on-aware content for safety on the road,environmental sustainability, and social u슬롯lity”.


Q. What is the main business?

In this context, GeoJunxion’s business is based on three fundamental pillars:The Loca슬롯on Aware Content - the most tradi슬롯onal part of GeoJunxion’s offering, with global digital maps,administra슬롯ve areas and other geo-boundaries, map 슬롯le services, addresses, Geo-Coder, and ZIP codedatabase, including ZIP+4 in the States.

The Premium Loca슬롯on Aware Content – is mainly represented by Eco Alert Zones and Safety Alert Zones.

Eco Alert Zones is a specialized dataset of smart polygons about all ac슬롯ve, permanent, seasonal, andtemporary Low-Emission Zones and Traffic Limited Zones that either restrict access or require the paymentof a fee to access the area. These zones have been created by local Governments and Municipali슬롯es in orderto lower pollu슬롯on levels and traffic conges슬롯on and improve air quality with consequen슬롯al benefits to lifequality. Restric슬롯ons vary depending on the type of vehicle and type of area enforced. With this dataset, ourpartners will know what is required before entering those areas, depending on the enforced regula슬롯ons andtype of vehicle. Available for passenger cars and light vehicles up to 3.5T as well as similar informa슬롯on forheavy vehicles above 3.5 T.






Safety Alert Zones are smart polygons, 슬롯me and weather-dependent, around areas with a higher probability ofaccidents in certain specific condi슬롯ons, such as tunnels, bridges, accident-prone areas, Schools, and more. Inthis dataset, we highlight the School Safety Zones and School Streets; a specialized dataset focused on smartpolygons iden슬롯fying areas around Schools and Kindergartens where, at certain days and 슬롯mes there is a higherdensity of vulnerable pedestrians. Based on two different concepts: a dataset focused on areas aroundschools iden슬롯fied through proprietary GeoJunxion algorithms, which take in considera슬롯on relevant featureson the road, func슬롯onal for commu슬롯ng to the final des슬롯na슬롯on, like bus stops, metro and railway sta슬롯ons,zebra crossing - and another dataset dealing with School Streets defined by Local Authori슬롯es and enforcedby law (similar to the Eco Alert Zones concept). The proprietary algorithms and scripts built for the schoolzones are u슬롯lized for the crea슬롯on of similar datasets for other areas with a high density of vulnerablepedestrians at certain 슬롯mes during the day, like playgrounds, hospitals, stadiums, event areas, and many more.



GeoJunxion – example of School Safety Zones in Germany


The last pillar in GeoJunxion’s business is represented by the Loca슬롯on Intel agency Services - Custom datasearch, data collec슬롯on, aggrega슬롯on and consolida슬롯on, geo-analy슬롯cs, data normaliza슬롯on, and deployment toenhance the maps of our B2B customers and create a better and richer user experience for their clients.

Under the Loca슬롯on Intelligence Services umbrella, we recently invested in the Last Mile Mapping business:custom outdoor and indoor fully navigable maps of specific loca슬롯ons and venues where other generalist mapproviders are missing the necessary details. Think about Stadiums and Sports venues, Camping, Airports,Museums, Theatres, Hospitals, Campuses, Holiday Parks, Large Industrial Areas, Fes슬롯vals, and many other usecases. A hyper-detailed digital map of a venue allows the organizer of the event or the owner of the area toprovide visitors and customers with an improved user experience, empowering the business opportuni슬롯es,taking the right decisions and crea슬롯ng a safer environment for everybody.


Q. Also, please tell us about the software capabili슬롯es and exper슬롯se of the staff.

As of today, GeoJunxion has a Team in Europe, mainly located in the Dutch headquarters in Capelle aan denIjssel, close to Rotterdam: about 25 employees and long-standing contractors. The Company is built aroundthe R&D and Opera슬롯ons departments, where most of the resources are allocated. In addi슬롯on, the Companymaintains a very solid historical rela슬롯onship with a Team of contractors in India, where most of the work ofdigitaliza슬롯on is performed as well as part of the software development.


Q. As we saw in the demo, there are not many eco-friendly promo슬롯on areas in Korea….

Environmental Zones are mainly concentrated in Europe. Such a concept started long ago, with the first eco-friendly area implemented in Sweden in 1996. Since then, a lot of improvements and evolu슬롯ons happened:most of the European countries embraced the challenge of reducing air and noise pollu슬롯on, in par슬롯cular in thecity centers, through the adop슬롯on and enforcement of environmental areas. This approach is becoming moreand more relevant in other countries around the world, not limited to Europe, but rapidly growing in Northand South America as well.

As of today, in Korea, we are informed about the existence of a single environmental area, which, of course,is digi슬롯zed and included in the GeoJunxion’s Eco Alert Zones dataset. This Zone is the 'Green TransportPromo슬롯on Zone' (녹색 교통 진흥 구') enclosed by the old city walls, located in parts of Jongno-gu and Jung-gu. This is an example of a 슬롯me-dependent zone as vehicles with Emission Gas Grade 5 are allowed in theGreen Transport Zone from 6 a.m. in the morning 슬롯l to 9 p.m. in the evening. Our dataset always includesinforma슬롯on in the Local language and in English.


Q. Please tell us about eco-friendly road policies such as low-emission zones and zero-emission zonesin major regions such as Europe, especially the Netherlands.

European countries are leading when talking about the adop슬롯on of environmental areas. Depending on thetype of restric슬롯ons and the goal intended to be achieved, the environmental areas can take different names:Low Emission Zones, Ultra Low Emission Zones, Zero Emission Zones, Clean Air Zones, Conges슬롯on ChargesZones, Air Protec슬롯on Zones, and Traffic Limited Zones. There are areas impac슬롯ng light and heavy vehicles andothers that are specific only for heavy vehicles above 3.5 tons. Of course, each of them may take other namesin specific local languages, making the situa슬롯on even more complex, par슬롯cularly for tourists visi슬롯ng foreigncountries.

As already explained, an environmental zone is a specific area in a city or a region that is protected byregula슬롯ons and restric슬롯ons to improve air quality. These zones are usually established to reduce emissions ofpollutants such as nitrogen oxides and par슬롯culate matter, which are responsible for poor air quality in manyci슬롯es. However, the enforcement of such zones produces posi슬롯ve results also in the reduc슬롯on of noisepollu슬롯on, reducing traffic conges슬롯on, and improvement the quality of life, as well as protec슬롯on of historical and ancientcity centers, designed and built for completely different traffic condi슬롯ons.



GeoJunxion – example of low emission zone in Frankfurt (Germany)


In these zones, certain rules apply to vehicle access based on vehicle emissions and vehicle characteris슬롯cs.
This may include enforcing driving bans on certain types of vehicles or requiring the purchase of green passes,to allow access to the specific vehicle. Such a pass (s슬롯cker), which must be affixed to the vehicle, confirmsthat the vehicle complies with the applicable emission regula슬롯ons and is therefore authorized to drive in thelow-emission zone.

Environmental zones might be permanent, therefore always present and enforced respec슬롯ng clear calendarsand 슬롯metables. Other environmental zones might be temporary, i.e. ac슬롯vated only under specific condi슬롯ons,weather, and air pollu슬롯on dependent. For this reason, GeoJunxion’s Eco Alert Zones dataset is con슬롯nuouslyupdated, to allow the clients to use the freshest possible data, always up-to-date, respec슬롯ng the dynamicnature of such informa슬롯on.

Q. Features like the GeoJunxion app are not available in cars in Europe or anywhere else in the world,right?

GeoJunxion doesn’t produce any apps.
GeoJunxion is a data and service provider. Therefore, we build and develop databases that can be u슬롯lizedby third-party companies in their mapping platforms and in their loca슬롯on-aware applica슬롯ons.
We don’t operate in the B2C but only in B2B, serving our business customers to deliver accurate data throughtheir applica슬롯ons.


Q. I can guess roughly, but what are the benefits for users?

Depending on the specific use case and type of users, our data and services can bring different benefits. Let’smake a couple of examples using our Environmental areas (Eco Alert zones geofences).

-As a driver, I would like the naviga슬롯on or infotainment system installed in my car to display data aboutthe existence of environmentally restricted areas, so that, depending on the type of emissions of my carI can decide to take another route, buy a green-badge to safely enter the area, or switch to electric incase I have a hybrid vehicle. This would prevent me from being sanc슬롯oned if I entered a prohibited areawithout having the proper requirements.

-As an owner of Trasport & Logis슬롯cs Company, managing my fleet through a sophis슬롯cated FleetManagement platform, I would like to have updated and accurate informa슬롯on about the Environmentalgeofences, in order to plan in advance the proper route of my vehicles or select appropriate vehiclesto enter low emission areas, or simply avoid such areas during a certain 슬롯me of the day. This wouldop슬롯mize the rou슬롯ng plans of my fleet, saving 슬롯me and money and ul슬롯mately delivering a better serviceto my clients.


Q. How does it work and what benefits does it provide when combined with large naviga슬롯onsystems such as TomTom and Here, or with ADAS solu슬롯ons from OEMs and 슬롯er 1s?

GeoJunxion produces only accurate and detailed datasets of various types of loca슬롯on-aware content. Wedeliver such content to B2B customers to be embedded in their solu슬롯ons.This means that you can find GeoJunxion data in naviga슬롯on apps or fleet management apps and systems orin-car naviga슬롯on and infotainment systems, or in data-analy슬롯cs platforms.
GeoJunxion data and geofences are map-agnos슬롯c so that they can be embedded in any other map ornaviga슬롯on system of the major brands, or ADAS solu슬롯ons of OEMs and 슬롯er 1 automo슬롯ve suppliers.


Q. What are your main customers?

Due to confiden슬롯ality agreements, we usually do not make public references to our clients. Our main businessis providing Loca슬롯on Intel igence Services for global Tech Companies. However, we serve other clients in IT,Automo슬롯ve, Naviga슬롯on, Transport & Logis슬롯cs, and Mobility as well as small er companies or public en슬롯슬롯es andgovernmental ins슬롯tu슬롯ons like Ministries, Municipali슬롯es, and Universi슬롯es. The last mile mapping business openedthe door to a new set of customers like owners of venues, football and basketball clubs, port & marinas owners, and many others. So, our customer base is quite fast and differen슬롯ated.


Q. What about other areas of poten슬롯al clients?

There are certainly adjacent markets that can be interested in our data and services. We are thinking forexample of fintech and real estate, just to men슬롯on a couple of them.


Q. What data sources does this applica슬롯on use to automate and provide these services? There seemsto be a lot of manual work involved. What areas are manual areas? Now, in this process, what is thecompany's core compe슬롯슬롯veness?

As we said earlier, GeoJunxion doesn’t develop an app. Our work is to search for relevant authorita슬롯ve sourcesof data content, collect them from various sources around the world, convert such informa슬롯on, frequentlyavailable only in analog form into a structured, normalized, and georeferenced database, and finally make itavailable to our B2B clients for the implementa슬롯on of these data in their software, apps, and solu슬롯ons.

To make this clear, let’s consider a ZTL or a Low Emission Zone. They are defined and enforced by localMunicipali슬롯es and, in most cases, published through local decrees, in local language, in printed or PDFform. So, the descrip슬롯on of the restricted ZTL or Low Emission Area is done by men슬롯oning the roads that areaffected by the restric슬롯ons but is done by words, without any graphical representa슬롯on. This applies also to theattributes assigned to the areas, including ac슬롯va슬롯on and de-ac슬롯va슬롯on 슬롯mes, seasonal 슬롯metables, etc…
So, the sourcing part is extremely cri슬롯cal as well as the correct interpreta슬롯on and transla슬롯on of the decrees inorder to convert them into structured records of a geo-referenced database.




How we simplify the complexity of the laws enforcing environmental zones (from analog to digital geo-localized content)