New Delhi, May 13: HERE Technologies, a global mapping and location data company, has released findings from its latest regional study titled Inside the Two-Wheeler Landscape in APAC: Key Trends and Rider Behaviors, highlighting the increasing reliance of Indian two-wheeler riders on real-time navigation tools to navigate traffic congestion, improve efficiency, and support daily mobility needs.
The study, commissioned by HERE Technologies and conducted by independent strategy and insights firm Point Consulting, surveyed over 2,400 riders across China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam, including 404 respondents from India.
According to the findings, India emerged as one of the most navigation-dependent markets in the Asia-Pacific region, with 61% of surveyed riders stating that they use navigation systems “often” or “always” during their journeys.
The report noted that Indian riders increasingly evaluate navigation platforms based on their ability to reflect real-time road conditions, traffic congestion, and route constraints. Features such as real-time traffic alerts, accurate estimated time of arrival (ETA), full-screen map displays, and turn-by-turn voice guidance ranked among the most valued capabilities.
The study highlighted that navigation tools are now viewed not only as convenience features but also as essential productivity and stress-management tools, especially in highly congested urban environments.
Surveyed riders identified real-time traffic alerts, route optimization, and clear visual guidance as critical requirements for maintaining efficient movement through dense traffic conditions. Riders also showed growing preference for safety-oriented capabilities including hazard alerts, ride tracking, lane-level awareness, and environment-aware routing assistance.
The report further underscored the importance of navigation systems for India’s rapidly expanding gig economy and delivery workforce. Delivery riders surveyed cited inaccurate travel time estimates, poor routing recommendations, and inefficient shortcuts among their primary operational challenges.
According to the study, delivery riders considered safer route recommendations, optimized multi-stop routing, and instant diversions during congestion as key features that directly impact productivity, customer satisfaction, and earnings.
The research also pointed to increasing demand for navigation systems capable of supporting rider safety awareness in India’s unpredictable road environments. Riders expressed strong interest in features such as pothole alerts, accident-prone zone warnings, well-lit route suggestions for night travel, and sharp-curve alerts.
Commenting on the findings, Shyam Shankar Raman, Business Segment Head for Two-Wheelers, Asia Pacific at HERE Technologies, said:
“Riders in India judge navigation by how well it understands real roads, real traffic and real constraints. Riders expect systems that keep pace with conditions that change quickly on the ground. In India where navigation is tightly linked to daily productivity, real-time accuracy, routing that supports safety awareness and dependable ETAs play a critical role in helping riders move with confidence.”
The study positions India as a key market where navigation technology is becoming increasingly mission-critical, supporting not only mobility and convenience but also rider safety, productivity, and economic activity.
HERE Technologies noted that as urban congestion intensifies and gig-based mobility ecosystems continue to expand, demand for real-time intelligence, high-integrity mapping systems, and two-wheeler-specific navigation solutions is expected to grow significantly across India and the wider APAC region.