May 2024 Platform Release Notes

HERE Maps API for JavaScript 3.1.54.0

Version 3.1.54.0 is an important version as it introduces major improvements and new features for vector rendered maps. Among others these include:

• Logistics Map Style with 3 variants for vector rendering. The 3 variants are for the traditional map view, a night and a hybrid experience.

• Topographic Map Style including global coverage for Hill-Shading and Elevation Contours for vector rendering

• Vehicle/truck restrictions for vector rendered maps with Explore Style. This feature is utilizing the newly introduced capabilities and modes concept also powering the display of environmental and congestion zones for vector rendered maps.

• Map style update: Enabled Z-Level Road rendering
• State labels for large countries are now abbreviated for zoom levels between 0 and 4

HERE SDK 4.18.2.0

HERE SDK 4.18.2.0 for iOS, Android and Flutter is a minor release for the 4.18 code line with a lot of bug fixes and improvements based on customer feedback. We also added some new features for this release, for example

• Map style update: Enabled Z-Level Road rendering.
• Map view: Added MapContext.freeResource() to free resources used by map view objects.
• EV routing: Removed beta notice for EVChargingPool , EVChargingStation , EVChargingPoolDetails and EVSE . These APIs are now considered to be stable.
• Routing: Introduced IsolineRoutingEngine to support the existing routing isoline feature which was available through the RoutingEngine and that has been deprecated with this release.
• OfflineRoutingEngine : Added RouteHandle support for offline routing with offlineRoutingEngine.importRoute(..) that accepts a route handle to recreate the route.
• Search: Introduced new W3WSearchEngine which converts three-word addresses to coordinates and vice versa through the respective search methods. Added W3WSquare , W3WSearchError and W3WSearchDelegate to receive the results
• Map view: Enhanced data for picked vehicle restrictions: Added restrictionCategory and countryCode members to PickMapContentResult.VehicleRestrictionResult. This additional information can be used to generate vehicle restriction icons with the IconProvider.
• Map view: The MapFeatureModes.terrain3d feature mode is now also supported in combination with our hybrid map schemes. Note that this is a beta release of this feature.
• Map view: Added IconProvider.createVehicleRestrictionIcon() to obtain a vehicle restriction icon from a PickMapContentResult.VehicleRestrictionResult. Note that this is a beta release of this feature.
• Routing: Added displayLocation to Waypoint and RoutePlace to specify the GeoCoordiates of a POl to indicate its physical location.
• Incremental map updates have been enabled for Japan.
• Map view: Added support for custom geodetic polygon data sources. Note that this feature is released as beta.
• Map view: Added support for polygons with inner boundaries (holes).
• Map style update: Added dedicated roadshield icon for Indonesia.

Take a look at the latest changelog for your edition and platform to find out more details.

HERE Map Rendering Services

We are pleased to share the following improvements to the HERE Map Rendering service in recent months:

HERE Raster Tile API 3.021-3.027

• Added elevation contour lines to the topo.day style.

• Added a new logistics.night style which is a variant of the logistics.day style, optimized for viewing in a low-light environment.

• Added a new ppi parameter value: 200. This option provides an alternative when you find that ppi=100 results in labels that are too small, and ppi=400 creates labels that are too large.
• Added additional localized bank POIs.
• Added an outline display for polygonal roads in Japan.
• Added z-level rendering for roads to ensure the correct display of bridges and overpasses.
• State labels for large countries are now abbreviated for zoom levels between 0 and 4.

HERE Map Image API 3.02-3.06

All the same as listed above for the Raster Tile API, plus:

• Added the Viewport-Bottom-Left, Viewport-Top-Right, and Viewport-Zoom headers to the HERE Map Image APIv3 response format to facilitate extracting the actual map image position.

   

HERE Vector Tile API 2.3.16-2.3.21

• Added a new optional layer called hillshade. The hillshade layer displays the topography of a region by simulating how light would illuminate the terrain. It can be retrieved by using the content=hillshade parameter.
• Added a new optional layer called contours. The contours layer contains lines that connect points of equal elevation relative to mean sea level. It can be retrieved by using the content=contours parameter.
• Added the z_level attribute to features in the roads layer. The attribute is present only for road features where z-level does not have the default value.
• Added a new line feature of kind breakwater to the landuse layer in the Japan map.
• Added a new roller coaster feature to the roads layer in the Japan map with properties: kind=rail​, kind_detail=roller_coaster​.
• State labels for large countries are now abbreviated for zoom levels between 0 and 4.
• Added the chain ID property in the advanced_pois layer.
• Added the hgv=delivery​ property in the advanced_roads layer to mark roads accessible to HGVs for delivery purposes only.

HERE Geocoding and Search API

We released HERE Batch API v7. Batch moved out of beta to general availability and with that is now fully supported.​

• Also released: Asset-based plan for HERE Batch API v7. Until now only the transaction-based plan was available for subscriptions.​
• HERE Batch API v7 is not available to self-serve customers. If you are interested in access, you need to use the contact form here.  
   

The HERE Batch API v7 provides a very convenient way to geocode and reverse geocode large datasets in an asynchronous way.​ The API is optimized for efficiently handling thousands or even hundreds of thousands of addresses or geo-coordinates per job.​

​Please note, HERE Batch API v7 is not optimized for processing many small jobs at the same time and it is not optimized for high throughput. For this purpose, please use the synchronous HERE Geocoding and Search API or HERE (Multi-)Reverse Geocoder API.​

You can find more details in the documentation: https://www.here.com/docs/category/batch-api

HERE Routing

The following improvements and new functionalities are now available:

• Improvements in ETA prediction accuracy for truck routing
  In compliance with our Commercial Vehicle Regulations data product, we released updates to the truck speed limit information around the world. The change comes as part of important map attribute data updates that will be leveraged in route calculations for trucks. The update will result in the following improvements for customers and users of HEREs truck routing functionality:
  • ETA prediction accuracy will improve
  • Customers and users will receive more accurate truck speed limits in the routing response 
• EV Charge-aware routing provides display locations
  If you request a route with auto-added charging stations, you not only get the navigation location, but also the display location of the charging stations, which allows much better rendering of the route as well as the intermediate charging stations stops in e.g. a route overview or on the map without requesting additionally that information from our GS7 or EV Chargepoint API.
• Toll cost calculation support "height above first axle"
  For some tolls it is required to provide the information about the "height above 1st axle". This is now supported in toll cost calculation.
• Toll cost calculation provides time validity
  In case multiple time-dependent toll costs apply, the API now returns information on time validity, which was missing to provide the full information to the driver or the route calculation system

Take a look at the documentation: https://www.here.com/docs/category/routing