AutoNavi launches indoor mapping service

Chinese e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has intensified competition for location-based services with its online-mapping unit launching its first version of indoor mapping.

Mapping and navigation service provider AutoNavi Holdings Ltd unveiled its service which can display the interior layout of buildings, help customers find their way and assist in mapping the most convenient routes.

As a growing number of people rely on mobile-mapping apps to navigate their way around, demand for indoor-mapping services is expected to rise significantly. Public buildings, such as shopping malls, railway stations and large hospitals tend to have sophisticated internal structures, which are difficult for people to find their way around.

AutoNavi has pumped a large investment into developing interior-mapping products since 2013. As of last year, more than 2,000 buildings in first and second-tier cities in China have been mapped by the firm.