MapInfo now covers 5 million km of Europe's roads

MapInfo has launched an enhanced version of Cartique, its road network map dataset providing seamless coverage for East and Western Europe. Described as "the most up to date mapping data of its kind," Cartique Europe 2002 now includes more than 5 million kilometres of European roads, a 44% increase over the previous version.

MapInfo has also just launched Discovery, an add-on to its market leading location-intelligence software solution MapInfo Professional. Discovery enables users to publish interactive location analysis reports and maps on the Internet enabling other employees to benefit. It acts as an online catalogue bringing the power of location analysis to multiple departments in an organisation. 

Cartique is used in conjunction with MapInfo's leading location-intelligence software and tools such as MapInfo Professional, MapX or Drivetime. It provides al dataset for a wide range of applications including market analysis, site location, routing and network analysis and is used across a range of industry sectors including retail, financial services, telecoms, automotive, local government and emergency services.

The Cartique range of products provides detailed 1:300,000 scale mapping from MapInfo, representing a significant advance in accuracy and precision in pan-European mapping. Designed as an intermediate level digital map base for graphic output, backdrop mapping and route planning, Cartique is suitable for reliable analysis of areas around individual cities and towns.

Enhanced features of Cartique 2002 include:

▪ An additional 2 million kilometres of roads providing users with a greater level of detail for more accurate analysis across all of Europe and especially in Eastern Europe.

▪ The ability to display Motorway junction numbers and familiar junction names, for improved routing instructions and data presentation.

▪ Over 145,000 new Gazetteer Points, an increase of 43%, enabling users to find and identify towns and features to a greater degree of detail.

▪ In addition users can now quickly select and identify suburban locations with between 100,000 and 500,000 residents to improve analysis and planning related applications.

Cartique Europe 2002 is priced from £1,200 to £15,500.

MapInfo Discovery is an add-on to the company's location-intelligence software solution MapInfo Professional. Discovery enables users to publish interactive location analysis reports and maps on the Internet enabling other employees to benefit.

Insurance application

A typical application of Discovery could be an insurance company using it to create maps/reports on fraud areas and sharing this information with its loss adjusters, helping them determine which cases need to be more heavily investigated. For the same insurance company, Discovery offers MapInfo Professional users the power to share an entirely different set of maps, such as flood or fire areas, with colleagues, enabling them to set premiums for local buildings insurance.

"In most organisations, only a small number of users actually perform critical location analysis tasks to create reports and maps, which are typically shared throughout the organisation via paper documents," said David Flower, Vice President and General Manager, MapInfo EMEA. "Discovery helps professional users exchange business-critical maps and easy-to-grasp location analysis information across the entire enterprise, enabling organisations to make faster, more insightful business decisions."

Each interactive map includes tools that put additional, relevant information into the hands of decision-makers. For instance, shared maps include easy-to-use features such as a sidebar menu where users can add comments that help explain the map or links to related documents. Decision makers can query maps, adjust criteria or data sets, turn layers on or off, and zoom in on specific areas.

Location intelligence

For mobile users, MapInfo advocates that the value of a new service will depend on its relevance to the continually changing surroundings they find themselves in. For wireless service providers, a customer's location, and the ability to deliver services that are 100% relevant to that location, will be key to success. Location "intelligence" in the wireless world -- knowing where someone is and what's around them -- enables service providers and business enterprises to offer Mobile Location Services (MLS) to mobile workers and consumers. 

MapInfo's location services partners include Sun, Lucent, Alcatel, Oracle, Nortel Networks, Motorola, Nokia, and Vodafone.

MapInfo Corporation is a global software company that integrates software, data and services to help customers realise greater value from location-based information and drive more insightful decisions. MapInfo solutions are available in 20 languages through a network of strategic partners and distribution channels in 60 countries. 

MapInfo's global headquarters are in Troy, New York. The company's UK and European headquarters are based in Windsor, UK.