Combining Indoor and Outdoor Navigation: The Current Approach of Route Planners

This paper studies the use of indoor infrastructures for navigation in several currently available route planners. In the context of an increasing dependence on positioning and navigation tools, a shift has taken place from solely outdoor applications to the indoor environment. Although location based services and indoor positioning techniques may have gotten increasing attention from research and commercial point of view, ubiquitous indoor navigation systems are not yet available on the market. With people moving seamlessly from indoor to outdoor, systems that integrate navigation in both will be the next challenge in navigational research. This paper contributes to this integration of the notion of indoor and outdoor space by studying its impact on route planners. A review of various case studies in multiple route planners has been carried out which reveal different aspects and requirements for the indoor-outdoor connection in way finding. Currently, mostly data constraints prevent the optimal use of all navigation routes. Additional problems were discovered with address matching methodologies influencing the exit choice of buildings (leading in some cases to sub optimal routing). Recommendations are made for future enhancements based on the product to market implications to come to a better integration of indoor with outdoor infrastructures.