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Scout for iPhone To Add 3D Data, Crowd Sourcing by End of Year

Just weeks after updating Scout for iPhone with On My Way and Calendar Integration, Telenav has announced that the navigation app will see even more features before the end of this year. The upcoming additions include on-screen 3D buildings and landmarks, as well as crowd-sourced information on accidents, road hazards, and traffic congestion.

3D Buildings and Landmarks

In the future update, Scout will add 3D buildings and landmarks for many major metropolitan areas in the US. Telenav is creating the 3D technology to help drivers navigate in unfamiliar cities, according to Ryan Peterson, Telenav's director of product managemnt, traffic and navigation.

"It's about providing drivers with additional context on the road so they can better navigate their surroundings with just a quick glance," Peterson said in a statement.

As drivers approach an upcoming turn, the GPS app will change its layout to include the landmarks. The feature was developed with the use of a rendering technology known as "screen space ambient occlusion" (SSAO), which is used in the game industry to produce high frame rate realistic graphics.

To reduce overall GPS load times, local caching will be used, meaning that the 3D data will be downloaded on an individual basis based on the route provided.

Traffic and Road Hazard Information

In another new feature, Scout users will have the opportunity to report road congestion, car accidents and other traffic hazards after experiencing them, so as to contribute to a database of updated traffic information.

The information will be downloaded and put into the crowd-sourced database so that other drivers can be notified of the delay or hazard in the area.

General UI Updates

Telenav also plans general user interface (UI) improvements for better upcoming traffic data and alternate route navigation.

Telenav is working to improve alternate routes by adding more information based on traffic reports. This information will be provided on the same GPS screen, so users won't have to go through several screens to look for it while driving.  Users will be prompted by the app if faster routes are discovered.

Telenav also plans to improve mid-route information so that drivers will be able to tell if traffic is at a "red, yellow, or green" status (meaning congested, partially congested or not congested) up to 15 miles ahead without changing screens.

The improved UI will also include vector-based technology for displaying traffic conditions more quickly and sharply than before.

The enhancements are planned for both the free and premium versions of the app.


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