Make Your Mount a 4/4 So We Can Build Better Maps!

If you haven’t figured it out by now, allow me to reiterate here. Your mount quality will directly impact your rewards for Hivemapper. 

In this blog we will cover:

Mount Quality Matters.

Hivemapper is a mapping community. Making maps is our bread and butter, and if we can’t do that effectively, we aren’t fulfilling our mission. To build the world’s freshest maps, we need the world’s freshest data. Imagery of the sky, blurry bug-splattered windshields, the hood of your car and your commemorative bobble heads, do little-to-nothing for the sake of our map mission. 

Yes, our cameras are awesome (that’s because the hardware is dedicated to map making), but creating extra work for our AI to grade and attest to street-level intelligence is counterproductive. 

Furthermore, it creates undue strain on our AI trainers to perfect the interpretation of signage and an object's relative position. Horrible mounts dilute our image pool with unusable data, and they can taint the larger project which aims to be useful for computer vision applications.

Extra Work = Extra Time = Extra Network Costs

Our network is about efficiency, and we grow our map data customers when we are at peak performance. To that end, We’ve already secured two of the top 10 digital map companies in the world as clients. But this is just the start. Our vision for the future isn’t a few companies snacking on our intelligence. We aim to transform the map making world and prove the effectiveness of this decentralized network. 

Moreover, incentives for mounts must align with the demands of the market. Our cameras will improve in future generations to better service the mapping world. The Bee, for instance, will use advanced stereo cameras to better determine depth and pinpoint object locations. However, in our march to disrupt and innovate we will continue to fight for perfection – every micro percentage of efficiency accounted for. 

It has been a month since the network voted to enforce stricter requirements for mounts, and some drivers are starting to take notice. While many drivers may have had a boost in rewards, others have seen Honey reductions due to “bad” or “horrible” mount scores.

Trainers continue to refine the score of mounts weekly, through participation in games, and we’ve created two new games to provide a better oracle of average mount quality.

You can locate this score on the Hivemapper App by clicking on the settings icon:

To better understand the reward structure, here is a simple outline of the grading process.

In summary, mount alone is not the only factor playing into rewards, but a bad enough mount can completely disqualify a driver from receiving a regional reward. Instead, their rewards redistribute to those participants with superior mounts.

Hivemapper’s decentralized community is ultimately responsible for scoring mounts through AI trainer tasks, and we encourage all contributors to play our training games to better understand how their mount might be impacted. 

In the last proposed updates, two new games were added to better define mount scores. While some people considered the original mount quality game to be subjective, the new ones rely on objective criteria related to the position of the horizon and obstructions in the field of view.

1. Dashcam Tilt

2. Dashcam View

Good mounts center the horizon.

Likewise, they maintain an unobstructed view. 

If you’re uncertain about how your mount is performing, please take time to review our handy install guide and video. Likewise, please take a moment to consider clarity of view when mounting your dashcam.

Mounts are graded on a score of 1 to 4, with reputation reset every week. Our decentralized community determines mount scores through AI Trainer tasks.

There are currently four approved mount positions (as shown below). You can mount a maximum of two dashcams per vehicle: one forward-facing and one side-facing. If you decide to mount the dashcam side-facing, it must face the sidewalk and buildings (i.e., mounted on the passenger side of the vehicle).

​​Tips for producing valuable map imagery and data:

Forward-facing: mount the dashcam in the center of the vehicle and align it with the horizon.

Side-facing: mount the dashcam on the side of the vehicle closest to the sidewalk and buildings (i.e. the passenger side). Again, align the dashcam with the horizon.

If you are establishing your mount for the first time, find your camera's optimal position before affixing it to the windshield or exterior. Once the mount is secure, test the camera view by turning on the device and connecting your hivemapper app. You should be able to see the imagery captured every few seconds on your device. Make mild adjustments until you’ve centered the horizon and minimize interference with the camera lens. Then, fasten the camera into a locked position. If the camera is not locked, it may shift while driving and hurt your mount score. 

Hivemapper aims to make mapping 100% passive. Once you have a solid mount, your job is largely done. Check your imagery periodically to make sure you’re getting the best road capture, and you’ll maintain the desired 4/4 score. 

With your help, we can revolutionize the mapping industry. Your contributions power our movement, and your diligence is appreciated!