In a strategic move aimed at cost savings and enhancing operational efficiency, ride-hailing giant Ola Cabs has transitioned from Google Maps to its proprietary Ola Maps platform. This transition is expected to save the company nearly Rs 100 crore annually.
Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and Chairman of Ola Group, confirmed the shift, stating, “After exiting Azure last month, we’ve now fully exited Google Maps. We used to spend Rs 100 crore a year, but we’ve made that ‘O’ this month by moving completely to our in-house Ola Maps! Check your Ola app and update if needed.”
This decision follows Ola Group’s recent move of shifting its entire workload to its in-house artificial intelligence firm, Krutrim, severing ties with Microsoft Azure three months ago. The integration of Ola Maps, which includes mapping solutions within cloud services, underscores the company’s commitment to leveraging its own technology infrastructure.
Ola had previously acquired GeoSpoc, a Pune-based geospatial services provider, in October 2021, bolstering its capabilities in mapping solutions. Currently, Ola Maps powers the mapping needs of the company’s flagship ride-hailing app and is slated for expansion into its electric two-wheelers as part of a forthcoming software update in January.