Australians mapping Australia
Whereis® is Australia and New Zealand’s number one brand * (Source: Vfacts data supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry (in-car navigation) and Gfk monthly reporting. Gfk Group Australia (portable navigation).) With more than 16 years experience, Whereis understands local conditions, making our mapping database one of the most comprehensive on offer.
Our map data is available in more places than any other Australian and New Zealand map data supplier.
Whereis® is a part of Sensis, a fully-owned subsidiary of Telstra.
The start of the journey
Back in the mid-nineties, we recognised satellite navigation devices weren't just a fad, but a soon-to-be essential part of everyday life. To that end, in 1997 we worked very closely with BMW to create a digital mapping database to help them deliver the first in-car satellite navigation system in Australia. A year later we launched Australia's most popular navigation website, Whereis.com. Today, Whereis.com is visited nearly 4 million times every month1.
At Whereis, we realise that people want a selection of navigation tools to suit a variety of needs. New technologies don't replace old ones, they complement them, giving us even more control over how we get around. That is why Whereis® has developed an entire range of digital mapping products that can be used across every medium. From the web, mobile and smart phones, to in-car and portable GPS systems – not to forget our specialised products for business and government – we're the experts in every channel.
Since 1997, our comprehensive mapping data has powered more than 2 million portable and in-car satellite navigation systems across Australia and New Zealand – an achievement we are very proud of.
Other milestones we've reached along our journey include:
- 2001: Signing with international mobile GPS satellite navigation provider Webraska for online/wireless mapping
- 2002: Launching Australia's first portable navigation solution with Whereis® maps
- 2005: Signing several licences with new leading portable GPS satellite navigation manufacturers, making Whereis® the leading provider of GPS satellite navigation map data in Australia.
- 2006: Achieved ISO9001 accreditation.
- 2006: Whereis® Navigator is launched.
- 2010: Choice Magazine testing rates Whereis® equipped portable navigation devices higher than competitors (The Long and Winding Road, May 2010)
- 2010: Whereis® Navigator iPhone application is launched.
- 2011: Whereis iPhone application is launched
- 2011: Choice Magazine test results show you're better off with a GPS loaded with Whereis® maps - The Road Less Travelled, January 2011
- 2012: Choice Magazine tests again showed devices using maps by Whereis perform better
As vehicle technology improves and consumer needs change, so does the type of data Whereis® Maps collects. New data such as signage, road curvature, slope, radius and speed values that are needed for sophisticated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and eco-routing are now part of the capture and maintenance program and may soon become as mainstream to many Australians as getting directions.
Put simply, a vehicle fitted with ADAS can adjust to suit specific driving conditions such as tightening the suspension system when driving winding mountainous roads, whilst it is hoped that eco-routing will drive down the environmental and financial costs of travel as drivers will have the choice between the shortest, fastest or most fuel-efficient route – the most efficient being the route of least congestion that avoids pollution causing stop/start traffic.
As well as making driving more efficient, safety is another area the team at Whereis® is focussing on. Live content such as traffic flow, traffic incidents and even live weather updates will soon be available; additionally Whereis® is also collecting a range of data suited to the needs of the heavy vehicle industry such as bridge heights, weights and HAZMAT codes to help ensure that the safest route is selected.
