Returning to OpenStreetMap after 15 years: State of the Map 2026
State of the Map 2026: OpenStreetMap conference
After a 15-year hiatus, the author returns to the State of the Map conference, focusing on the scientific track. They reflect on the evolution of OpenStreetMap (OSM), noting the persistence of a core community, the growing presence of commercial actors, and the ongoing challenges of data quality, completeness, and the impact of AI. The report highlights research on mapping dams, indoor spaces, and electricity grids, while critiquing the tendency to rely solely on OSM data and the governance issues around tagging and participation.
The scraping does not respect attribution. The fact that AI doesn’t contribute makes it justified to do a defensive closure.
- xvilka
Street maps are already in a good shape. What's not in a good shape - public transportation software and data - metro, tramway, commuter rails and big railways, buses. For example, OpenMetroMaps[1][2] barely gets any attention. And usually such maps are limited to particular cities or countries. Creating something like MetroMan app that supports so many cities, would be great. There are also Transportr[3][4] or abandoned (it seems?) Transito[5]. More people should collaborate on such projects. So far, most of them tend to be just solo developers.
[1] https://www.openmetromaps.org/
[2] https://github.com/OpenMetroMaps/OpenMetroMaps/
- ChrisArchitect
Related:
State of the Map 2026