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[TISA-LR-FAQ1]

OpenLR is a royalty-free, map-agnostic location referencing method designed to support cross-map interoperability in digital mobility ecosystems. Over time, different versions and adaptations have been developed, including TomTom’s binary and XML formats, TISA’s standardized ISO TPEG2-OLR, and XML variants used in DATEX II and TN-ITS. Each version offers trade-offs in terms of interoperability, complexity, and integration scope. Selecting the right approach depends on the stakeholder’s objectives, technical context, and the location reference types required.



Short Summary Answer

OpenLR is a royalty-free, map-agnostic location referencing method designed to support cross-map interoperability in digital mobility ecosystems. Over time, different versions and adaptations have been developed, including TomTom’s binary and XML formats, TISA’s standardized ISO TPEG2-OLR, and XML variants used in DATEX II and TN-ITS. Each version offers trade-offs in terms of interoperability, complexity, and integration scope. Selecting the right approach depends on the stakeholder’s objectives, technical context, and the location reference types required.

Stakeholder Relevance / Rationale

  • Public Authorities: Benefit from using standardized OpenLR variants to support data exchange on national access points, traffic message delivery, and consistent public service integration.

  • Content Providers: Gain from format flexibility and map-agnostic location encoding, facilitating the aggregation and distribution of location-based data across diverse platforms and services.

  • Service Providers: Require scalable bandwith-efficient formats with strong support for encoding, decoding, and dynamic referencing to ensure high-quality, real-time mobility services.

  • OEMs: Depend on compact, fast-decoding formats that work across maps, for navigation services and also increasingly in safety-critical environments like ADAS and V2X, often requiring low-latency and embedded system support.

Detailed Explanation

Types / Versions / Formats

Version / FormatDescriptionStrengthsLimitations
TomTom OpenLR Binary v3Original, low-bandwidth binary encodingCompact, efficient, widely used in in-vehicle systems.Tight coupling with TomTom decoder tools; hard to debug
TomTom OpenLR XML v3XML-based version from the original OpenLR white paperHuman-readable, well-documentedVerbose; best suited for internal or TomTom-centric use
TISA TPEG2-OLR (ISO 21219-22)ISO-standardized adaptation (by TISA) in binary, protobuf, and TPEGmlInteroperable, ISO-compliant, used in TPEG services worldwide (broadcast and IP)Not interoperable with TomTom or DATEX II XML; different field structure
DATEX II OpenLR XMLAdaptation for public traffic management systemsIntegrates into existing DATEX II platformsIncompatible at XML level with TomTom and TISA variants
TN-ITS OpenLR (XML & Binary)Used in TN-ITS for static road data exchange (e.g. speed limits).
In essence this is a reference to TomTom OpenLR whitepaper formats.

Used for communicating of infrastructure updates in TN-ITS environments


Use Cases

  • Public Authorities: Use TISA ISO TPEG2-OLR in traffic services and DATEX II / TN-ITS for infrastructure or incident data integration.

  • Content Providers: Rely on map-agnostic encoding (e.g., OpenLR XML) to harmonize location data across different sources.

  • Service Providers: Choose binary or TPEG formats depending on delivery methods and standards.

  • OEMs: Use TomTom or ISO TPEG2-OLR Binary format for their compactness and real-time suitability in vehicle systems.

Technical Considerations

  • Encoding formats differ in structure and support: ISO TPEG2-OLR uses binary, protobuf, or XML (TPEGml); TomTom formats have specific versioning rules.

  • TomTom Core spec includes Line Location and Point Along Line; more complex types (POI with Access, GeoCoordinate, Area) require OpenLR+ or custom extensions. ISO TPEG2-OLR covers all use cases.

  • XML variants are not mutually compatible; schema mapping or transformation logic may be required for integration across ecosystems.

Decision Guide

If you are a...And your goal is...Use this versionSupported Types
Public AuthorityTraffic and road data exchange or event messagesISO TPEG2-OLR or DATEX II XMLLine, Point, Area
Content ProviderDistributing harmonized POIs or road segmentsTomTom OpenLR XML or ISO TPEG2-OLRLine, Point, POI
Service ProviderDelivering real-time mobility or traffic servicesTomTom Binary or ISO TPEG2-OLRLine, Point
OEMADAS/V2X, embedded vehicle systems

ISO TPEG2-OLR
TomTom Binary v3

Line, Point, Area (OpenLR+)
TN-ITS UserUpdating static map attributesTN-ITS OpenLR XML and Binary Point Along Line, Line, Area

Implementation Notes

  • Tooling: OpenLR.org provides open-source encoders and decoders for TomTom formats; TISA and DATEX II require ecosystem-specific tooling.

  • Compatibility: XML schemas differ between TomTom, TISA (ISO), DATEX II, and TN-ITS—conversion may be needed.

  • Extended Types: Support for POI with Access, GeoCoordinate, and Closed Line is limited in TomTom's version, yet fully supported in ISO TPEG2-OLR. Ensure that decoders support these extended types.

  • General Tip: When selecting a format, consider both technical integration and organizational ecosystem alignment—OpenLR’s core strength is overcoming map differences.

References & Tools