The endless opportunities of maps: Natalya Reznik’s engineering journey

Within the fast-paced world of technological innovation, there are talented software engineers driving that progress every day. Who are they? What inspires them? And how are they making their individual impact on tech that people use every minute around the world? We talked to Natalya Reznik, Software Engineer at TomTom, to hear how her story across continents and companies led her to mapping.

Moving into a new journey  

Growing up, Natalya wasn’t dreaming about technology. “As a child, I did not want to be in tech,” she admits. “I was more interested in literature and writing.” However, when she arrived in the US from Russia, she was seeking stability. "I had to support myself and my family... I applied to the University of Colorado Boulder and an advisor at the applied math department told me to try studying Computer Science if I wanted to secure a job in the near future," she reflects. 

Natalya followed the advisor’s advice. Soon she had her first job, starting out in the backup and storage world. She worked with companies such as Sun, Compaq, EMC and a couple of start-ups. After one start-up collapsed, she “decided to try something new and exciting and went to work for the Maps department at Uber.” Here she discovered the map that led her to TomTom. 

Arriving at TomTom 

“As Uber is collaborating closely with TomTom I got to see how they use the map data they receive. And I wanted to get back to mapmaking to see what it looks like and what it entails on the TomTom side.” 

At TomTom, Natalya and her team are delving into the intricacies of HD mapping. "We are working on creating a reliable pipeline, making a base map all the way from initial data to an HD map," she explains. 

Finding meaning in the map 

While in practice Natalya’s passion lies in programming directives, for her it isn’t just about the code. It’s about her impact: "The two things I love about engineering are solving real-world problems and making an impact,” she affirms.   

Through the TomTom HD Map, Natalya is contributing directly to safer driving around the world. While the end-goal for HD Maps is to support a distant reality of fully self-driving cars, automated driving safety features are common worldwide. Natalya’s work has the potential to be integrated into more than 10 million vehicles on the road across the globe.

The opportunities are endless 

Natalya sees the bright promise of TomTom’s future and is thrilled to be a part of building something that holds so much potential. “Digital maps are an invaluable tool. We have endless opportunities to support any technology that needs to be aware of the physical world,” she shares.  

This does come with challenges. “The physical world is constantly changing. We have to keep up with it, while collecting data in hardly accessible parts of the world and staying ahead of competition,” she says. However, these challenges excite Natalya and her team, motivating them to continue pushing innovation to solve more problems and create world-leading maps.  

An invitation to innovate  

Individuals like Natalya are leading the way to a future paved by innovation and ingenuity. If you’re looking for an engineering opportunity, she encourages you to join her. “TomTom is here to stay. Its products are something that people will always need,” she says.  

From automated driving and road safety, to apps and services, navigation, collaborative mapmaking and the endless innovative potential of the company’s latest maps – TomTom invites you to make your digital mark on the physical world.