This is the first installment of Viewpoint, a new column that comes to you directly from a TomTom’er, or someone who we think has a viewpoint worth sharing. In this edition, our resident writer-at-large muses on how important maps are in modern tech.

Sadly, the answer to that question isn’t simple. It pays to think of charging an EV as something entirely new, don’t compare it to what you would have done with your gasoline vehicle. There are many factors to consider when charging an EV, all of which affect how fast it can charge and how long you’ll spend at a charger.

Endings matter – especially when it comes to last-mile delivery. But did you know that delivery people find the last 100 meters to be the toughest part of the whole process? We explore the reasons why, and what can be done to make the home stretch of the last mile smoother for drivers, businesses and customers.

New rules adopted by the Council of the EU could encourage the most significant changes in the fight to make EV charging on long journeys as easy as filling up a gasoline car.

Although drivers should always be aware of their surroundings while driving, split second lapses of concentration do happen. And that’s all it can take for a fatal accident to occur. The good news: there is tech that is trying to keep those in vehicles safe when lapses in concentration occur.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve interviewed TomTom’ers who are working on the future of mapping and location tech. We’ve spoken with the technically minded, the future oriented and the community focused. Most recently, we talked to one of TomTom’s EV experts. It might surprise you to find out that TomTom is so invested in the world of EV, but, as we learned, location data and digital maps are going to play a central role in the transition to cleaner transport.

It’s been a few months since TomTom announced its new Orbis Maps and data ecosystem. Since then, the company has also announced its involvement in the Overture Foundation, an open map data project. The wider open mapping community is an important part of the future of location tech, so in this week’s Q&A we talk to someone working close to the world of open mapping and community-built maps.

The TomTom Traffic Index numbers are in. In this edition, London takes the top spot as one of the world’s busiest and most expensive cities for drivers. But it's also the slowest city on the planet.

Just as the coronavirus pandemic faded into memory, new challenges thrust themselves upon the world. War in Ukraine, a looming recession, market unease and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis. Continued uncertainty is bleeding onto our roads and making it more expensive to refuel our vehicles, deliver goods and move about our cities. TomTom’s Traffic Index, now more detailed than ever, shows us the full story. Here's what we learned.

TomTom’s Traffic Index is giving us more insight than ever into the realities of traffic in the world’s major cities. But there are a couple of questions that everyone wants answers to: which cities are hit worst by traffic? And which city centers experience the busiest rush hours? Thanks to TomTom’s traffic report, we have the answers.

In November last year, TomTom announced its new geospatial data ecosystem, the TomTom Orbis Maps. It’s generated significant buzz, both inside and outside TomTom Towers. But what's all the fuss about? We’re asking some fellow TomTom’ers for their take on it all.

Think about the last time you bought something. How much choice did you have? How many companies make the thing you bought? A handful? Tens? Thousands? Think about when you had to buy something for work, a new project management tool perhaps, how many options did you have? I still bet you had a decent amount of choice.

In November 2022, TomTom announced its new geospatial data ecosystem, the TomTom Orbis Maps. It’s one of the most significant announcements in the company’s history and there's a palpable buzz over what’s on the horizon.

In the future, the experience of driving an electric vehicle will be as seamless as that of driving a gasoline-powered car today. Until then, user experience (UX) designers have the unique opportunity to make the in-vehicle experience more intuitive for those making the switch. But there are some important things they need to keep in mind as they take on this challenge.

Back in early November, TomTom announced its goal to make the “smartest map on the planet,” and lifted the lid on the tech and strategy that it’s building to reach that goal. According to the mapmaker, its new map will empower developers and businesses with more useful geospatial insights than ever before. And it’s coming right as the world demands it. Location information, data and intelligence are being used in more places than most of us ever realize, why? Because they’re incredibly powerful — when processed correctly.

We often think of maps as tools that help us get from A to B. While that might be one of their most useful functions, maps can be so much more than that — especially for communities that have historically been marginalized and underrepresented.