Maps 2.0: Our biggest map layer update ever! (looking for feedback)

We just submitted the latest beta versions of the mobile apps and we would appreciate your feedback before we release the update to everyone. The builds should be available shortly.

iOS: Join TestFlight
Android: Join Open testing

The web update is planned to be published early next week.

The web update is now also live: https://www.mapillary.com/app/

Introducing a new map layer: Captures!

We’re excited to introduce a brand-new map layer! We want to allow you to better visualize your data, making it easier than ever to pinpoint your street coverage.

In the Map layers menu, you’ll find an updated Captures section that lets you toggle between exactly what you need to see:

  • All captures: access the raw sequence data you’re used to
  • Best captures: view optimized, map-matched captures
  • Captures needed: know exactly where to go next with a view that highlights missing coverage

New map layer “Best captures”


“All captures” to the left, “Best captures” to the right

Instead of seeing all the raw captures, the new layer “Best captures” cleans up the map by matching the captures to the streets on the map.

The new layer also makes it easier to find the best captures. When you tap on the map, we open the capture with the highest quality score. For instance, a 360 or a recent image gets a higher score, a blurry or an image captured at night gets a lower score.

New map layer “Captures needed”

The “Captures needed” layer is the same as the map-matched “Best captures” layer, with the addition of highlighting streets in red that are missing coverage. This is helpful when planning where to capture.

Map filters

Just like on the web today, you can now apply filters to the map in the mobile apps. You can filter by user, date (from/to), travel method (all, on foot, vehicle), and 360 only. All of these filters can be combined.

Map data


Showing “No entry” traffic signs

Similar to map filters, you can now also show map data in the mobile apps. Just like on the web, we support traffic signs (stop signs etc) and point features (benches, CCTVs etc).

Camera map updates

Showing “Captures needed” during capture

The new map features are also available during capture. The “Capture needed” layer is especially useful here to show where to capture.

Looking forward to your feedback

The new map capture styles will continue to improve over time. Building a universal solution that works across all captures and regions worldwide is inherently challenging, so they may not be perfect in every scenario. We welcome your feedback—whether it’s ideas for improvements or bug reports!

Update: Android is live :check_box_with_check:
Update 2: iOS is live :check_box_with_check:
Update 3: Web is live :check_box_with_check:

14 Likes

It looks good and sleek. :partying_face:

However, the version number is no longer visible anywhere.

4 Likes

Thanks for reporting! Looks like it’s blocked by the bottom nav bar on Android. I’ll fix!

Update: fix is done, will be available in the next update

6 Likes

This update is really useful, however it does show what an epic job I have on my hands. My City just has one Major road covered by “Best Captures”, everything else is pink :face_with_peeking_eye:.

Looking on the bright side its probably easier to decide upon a route when you have a blank canvas completely, rather than my previous filling in the gaps plan.

5 Likes

That’s great feedback (and a positive one).This was exactly the intention - to highlight areas which require captures and confirm which areas can be considered well covered.

Let us know if you notice any inconsistencies, anything suspicious or odd, anything that doesn’t work well, or anything that can be improved. Happy mapping!

cc @boris @caglarpmeta

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BR, Yaro

:+1: Great improvements and updates! Yey! :smiley:

New map layer “Best captures”

This is a great feature that neatly clears the map view from useless ballast. But, you have to do a much better job of explaining to contributors what “Best captures” are. Otherwise, you might get a ton of redundant “Why aren’t my captures displayed although I have put so much effort into them?” support calls.

New map layer “Captures needed”

This is perhaps the most useful and impactful improvement for the contributor community. It really makes a difference!

  • Does existing (green) coverage become reddish over time, like say when it becomes older than 4 years?
  • How do you decide on a time period that calls for a coverage update?
    :thinking: I could even imagine a dynamic time period based on type of way and the amount of redundant coverage. :wink:
    Please, do not use AI to compute this because it should to be or at least feel deterministic (this is how human beings are wired).
  • I am also aware that the “Captures needed” map layer was inherently difficult to implement and Overture Maps’ low update rate, especially with respect to the way network does not make it particularly much easier either. So, kudos to you for tackling it anyway. :+1:

Map filters

The change to shades of green for coverage age coloring is an excellent move. In fact, I hope age is not just indicated through simple shades of green but alpha‑channel transparency. Imho aged coverage should fade away (it should not vanish though) because it is a natural concept for human beings to understand. This way, you do not even need to limit yourself to just three stages of age or three shades of green. You could use the full fine granular range of alpha values, like [1.0–0.333]. Or, aging coverage could slowly transition to this reddish color.

Yes, usually one should use transparency sparingly in UIs but this is the perfect scenario where one actually should use transparency. Just make sure to choose a base green color that provides good contrast against the map layer.

Having said that, I would generally recommend to change the UI label “Color captures by date” to “Color captures by age”. Or, if you go with transparency to “Fade captures by age”.


Lastly, I would greatly appreciate :folded_hands: for non-mobile app users to also get like beta access to these new features in the web app. You could host it on something like https://beta.mapillary.com or https://www.mapillary.com/beta for logged‑in users only. Since the mobile apps basically display web views anyway, the current situation feels quite awkward.

2 Likes

Ok, I’ve been investigating some of my 360 video captures. The website shows when logged in that I travelled along the full length of the road, with full capture. The right hand panel shows the clip (94 spheres in grey not yellow, dated 25 July 17:02). This road capture is NOT shown on Android app, as such is showing as needed. Should there be conflicting maps for captures that I take as Ingested, Processed & Map updated?

51.7454276 -3.62594839999997

1 Like

Thanks! This has been a big team effort over 6+ months.

Good point, I’ll forward this to PM (@boris) and design.

Yes, as in it becomes more transparent over time.

We will write a forum or blog post with more details, but in the meantime, perhaps @Yaro can chime in?

We use transparency to show age. For visibility, the screenshots above have this toggle OFF. The setting is ON by default though.

Good idea!

4 Likes

Hi @MarksMap I am currently checking the missing matchings. The sequence looks perfect, and when I check it manually, there are no issues. As a plan B, I will re-run the pipeline for this sequence. Thanks for the link; this is a good case to investigate to be sure we don’t have other missing sequences like this.

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BR, Yaro

Cool! :smiling_face_with_sunglasses: This is even better than I thought! I am unable to test the Maps 2.0 update, hence my lengthy elaboration. We will have to see how other Mapillary users react to it, though I think you are moving in the right direction. Eventually, highlighting coverage gaps and outdated coverage can be folded into one problem or map layer. Anyway, thank you everybody who worked on this major update! :+1: I look forward to the blog post revealing even more details.

2 Likes

I’ve played around a little in the iOS app beta. So far so good. Everything new appears to work very reliably. It seems to do a good job of analysing the quality of captures.

2 Likes

Didn’t try the beta yet, but looks good and is very useful, especially for capture planning. (now we just ened a mapillary router)

2 Likes

“Now we just need a Mapillary router” …

… well, actually, there are already some great browser-based routers out there which ‘out of the box’ support layers like OSM notes, where one can add custom layers - for example:

URL for normal layers: https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png ,

and Overpass Queries in the format: nwr[shop][‘diet:vegan’][‘diet:vegan’!=no];

= = =

for me, it would be most helpful if the incorporated layer could be the one which one sees after applying a date / contributor filter - given that my captures are exclusively on bicycle, and Antwerp is really busy renovating roads and the infrastructure below it.

= = =

looking forward to the browser-based Maps 2.0,

2 Likes

I’d be really happy if Mapillary was Apple CarPlay compatible. To have the map visible on my infotainment screen with the new coverage needed layer would be so helpful when I’m using the iOS app for capturing. Surely that wouldn’t go against any of Apple’s CarPlay criteria.

4 Likes

Ill test the beta after I upload a lot of images I got today. Nice update! But what qualifies as “best captures”? Is it views, location, quality or something else? I’ll definitely get some use out of the areas needing capture soon, when I may try and get many roads done in my 360 in a year or so.

for sure, there is the very customisable and feature complete https://route.crafter.seen.one/ as probably one of the best, but something simple in the app would also be convenient

Importing images on Android has been impossible for a while, still not fixed in the latest beta version. Android app fails to detect valid GPS EXIF data - #11 by Yaro

1 Like

Apologies for the delay; it takes longer than it should have. It is one of the tasks at the top, just not there yet.

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BR, Yaro

Dear @4004 ,

Thank you for the suggestion; need something I can understand;

that means: set destination either by placing a pin on the map, or searching for be it the street address or the name, set start location - that does work by simply placing pin on map, select means of transport, add via points and calculate route.

Here one can set a pin on the start point, but there is no way to pin the destination, draw a box around where the named destination is expected to be, typing the name as it appears on the zoomed in section of map doesn’t work either.

This is therefore inferior to the currently used German router.

Met als immer vriendelijke groet (Dutch for ‘with as ever friendly greeting’),

Good idea! I’ll forward it to PM/design. I have personally no experience from CarPlay/AndroidAuto so I’m not sure about the possibilities/limitations etc.

Views and location are not factored in when we calculate the quality score. We will share more in a blog post soon, but 360 is better than non-360, capture during the day is better than at night, sharp photos are better than blurry photos, a more recent capture iis better than an old capture etc.

1 Like