[TISA-LR-OpenLR-FAQ1] - Why is OpenLR the right location referencing method for us?

Short Summary Answer

OpenLR is a map-agnostic, open-source location referencing method optimized for cross-platform data exchange. Its compact format and royalty-free licensing make it especially attractive for use cases involving real-time traffic information and embedded systems. OpenLR provides a robust and cost-effective solution for many ITS and mobility scenarios.

Why the need for map agnostic location referencing ?

Maps from different suppliers are not exactly the same. 
Differences in geometry, topology, and attributes—such as street names— do occur due to variations in data sources and modeling approaches.

To illustrate such map differences, the figure below shows a small section of 2025 maps of two vendors near the Sophie Vitringastraat in Hoorn, The Netherlands.
A possible location of interest is indicated with an orange highlight.

• In the map of vendor A, this road section has a sharp turn, and has a single road name "Sophie Vitringastraat". 
  In the map of vendor B, this road section has a more gradual turn, and halfway the road name changes to "Mathilde Wibautstraat".
• In the map of Vendor B, an extra side road is present near the top of the location, which is missing in the map of vendor A.

This example illustrates that real-world maps must be expected to have differences in geometry, topology, and further attributes such as road names.

Accurately matching locations across maps from different providers requires a method that can handle these differences between maps —  such a method is termed a "map-agnostic location referencing method".
Any map-agnostic location referencing must ensure that the intended location can be correctly identified, no matter which map is used to create the location reference and which map is used to match the location reference.

Stakeholder Relevance / Rationale

• Public Authorities: Ensures interoperability of (open) data on National Access Points towards data consumers and platforms in traffic management and navigation services; cost-effective and aligns with open standards.

• Content Providers: Facilitates scalable data aggregation across different maps; encoding efficiency supports dynamic updates.

• Service Providers: Enables consistent service delivery in bandwidth-constrained or multi-map environments; standards with royalty-free licensing avoids vendor lock-in.

• OEMs: Well-suited for in-vehicle use due to its compact format; supports navigation services and also dynamic updates for ADAS and connected services.

Detailed Explanation

Types / Versions / Formats 

• see OpenLR Q2 - Different versions/types of OpenLR: What are they each good/bad at? What should be used for a given situation..

Use Cases

• Traffic Management Systems: Dynamic updates like congestion alerts can be reliably encoded.

• Navigation and Routing: Works well in systems where map providers vary or change.

• Cross-border Applications: Supports consistent interpretation regardless of underlying map data.

• Connected Vehicles: Efficient data usage is ideal for bandwidth-sensitive environments.

Technical Considerations

• Encoding/Decoding Logic: Requires correct implementation on both sender and receiver sides.

• Resilience to Map Changes: Uses road topology rather than fixed coordinates, reducing errors when maps differ.

• Open Tools: Available libraries and encoders/decoders simplify integration.

Decision Guide

Implementation Notes

• OpenLR is based on the WGS-84 coordinate reference system and requires maps to have two attributes: Functional Road Class (FRC, importance of road), Form-of-Way (FoW, type of road).
• A mapping may be needed from source map attribute conventions to OpenLR conventions. 
• Use official encoders/decoders to ensure format compliance.

• Ensure team familiarity with the topology-based referencing model.

• For more complex POIs or areas, use ISO TPEG2-OLR, or evaluate extensions or hybrid approaches (e.g., OpenLR+).

References & Tools

• ISO 21219-22 – TPEG2-OLR Standard

• TISA Github 

• OpenLR Specification

• DATEXII OpenLR™ (Point, linear and area location)
• Dynamic Location Referencing (INRIX)
• OpenLR GitHub Tools and Libraries
• TISA FAQs