Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Request accessFrequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about Global Entity Matcher (GEM). For detailed information, see the linked documentation pages.
General Questions
What is GEM and GERS?
GEM (Global Entity Matcher) is a service that automatically aligns your geospatial datasets with GERS identifiers using AI-driven algorithms.
GERS (Global Entity Reference System) is a unique, persistent identifier for geospatial features—part of the Overture Maps Foundation’s open standard.
→ Learn more: Understanding GERS IDs | Introduction
How can I access GEM?
Contact our sales team via the GEM product page to discuss requirements and deployment options.
→ Learn more: Getting Started
What use cases does GEM support?
GEM supports government, commercial, smart city, and technology applications including asset management, fleet management, urban planning, and location-based services.
→ Learn more: Use Cases
What can GEM match?
- Road networks: road matching matches your road segments to Overture Maps and returns GERS IDs.
- GPS traces: lane-level matching matches your traces to the roads and lanes of TomTom Orbis Maps.
→ Learn more: Data preparation
Technical Questions
What data formats does GEM support?
- Road matching: Apache Parquet with the required columns
id(integer or string) andgeometry(WKT LineString), and the optional columnis_navigable(boolean). - Lane-level matching: GPS traces as nested Apache Parquet or as CSV.
→ Learn more: Road matching data | Lane-level matching data | Quick Reference
How accurate is the matching?
- Matching Accuracy: >85% confidence for high-quality input data
- Processing Speed: ~100,000 segments/hour
- System Uptime: ≥99%
Quality depends on input data quality, geographic region, and data complexity. Use >60% confidence threshold for filtering.
→ Learn more: Technical Details
What are the processing time estimates?
| Dataset Size | Estimated Duration |
|---|---|
| < 10,000 roads | Minutes |
| 10,000 - 100,000 roads | 1-2 hours |
| 100,000 - 1M roads | 10-15 hours |
| > 1M roads | Contact for estimate |
What are the job statuses?
A job starts as REQUESTED, changes to IN_PROGRESS when processing starts, and ends as SUCCESS or FAILED. A job that you cancel through the API ends as CANCELED.
→ Learn more: Job status values
Can I run several jobs at once?
Yes. Each job is processed independently, and you can track all your jobs on the dashboard or with List matching jobs. GEM rejects a new job while an identical job, with the same storage, input file, matching type, and Overture release, is still REQUESTED or IN_PROGRESS.
Use descriptive file names to tell your jobs apart, and download the results as each job completes.
What permissions do I need?
| Level | Capabilities |
|---|---|
READ | View storage, download results, read job data |
READ_WRITE | All read permissions + upload data, trigger and cancel jobs |
Permissions are managed by your organization administrator.
How does GEM handle map updates?
Road matching matches your data against the Overture release you choose for each job; the UI preselects the latest release. GERS IDs remain stable when features don’t change. To align your data with a newer release, run a new job against it.
Can GEM integrate with my existing systems?
Yes—cloud, on-premises, or hybrid deployment. Supports Azure CLI workflows, ETL pipelines, and batch processing.
→ Learn more: API Documentation
What about data privacy and security?
- Encryption in transit and at rest
- Role-based access controls
- Compliance with SOC 2, ISO 27001
- Configurable data residency and retention
Comparison Questions
Orbis Maps vs Overture Maps?
| TomTom Orbis Maps | Overture Maps | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Commercial product | Open data initiative |
| Support | Fully supported | Community-driven |
| GERS | Supports GERS IDs | Defines GERS standard |
Both are complementary—GEM enables interoperability with either through GERS.
GEM vs traditional conflation?
| Aspect | Traditional | GEM |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Manual/semi-automated | Fully automated AI |
| Reference | Proprietary | Open standard (GERS) |
| Updates | Manual re-conflation | Automatic sync |
| Maintenance | High effort | Low effort |
→ Learn more: Features & Benefits
Business Questions
What’s the typical ROI?
Most customers see positive ROI within 6-12 months through:
- 70-90% reduction in manual conflation effort
- Faster time-to-market
- Higher data accuracy
How long does implementation take?
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | 1-2 weeks |
| Configuration | 2-4 weeks |
| Pilot | 4-6 weeks |
| Production | Varies by scope |
Can I try a pilot project?
Yes! Pilots typically run 4-6 weeks with a representative dataset to validate the approach before full deployment.
Troubleshooting
For solutions to access, authentication, upload, job, and download problems, see Troubleshooting.
Still Have Questions?
- Contact Sales: GEM product page
- Documentation:
- Request a Demo: Reach out to see GEM in action