Polstar

What Polstar does

Polstar Technologies, Inc. (北宸科技) is a Taiwan-based software company founded in 2003 and headquartered in Zhubei City, Hsinchu County, that develops GPS navigation software for cars, motorcycles, and trucks. Its core product line, Polnav, comprises in-vehicle embedded navigation, the Polnav mobile app for iOS and Android, and a cloud-based online navigation app called Polstar Map. The underlying technology stack combines proprietary Taiwan map data (7.8+ million addresses, 550,000+ POIs, 10,000+ junction images) with vehicle-parameter-aware routing algorithms, real-time traffic from 500,000+ drivers, offline and online navigation modes, voice input and TTS guidance in 30+ languages, and integrations with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SmartHUD hardware. The Maps API platform extends these capabilities to enterprise developers via Direction, Distance Matrix, Sequence, and Multidispatch APIs.

Name

Polstar

Legal name

Polstar Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://polstartech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Polstar is a Taiwan-based navigation software company that delivers offline and online GPS solutions for cars, motorcycles, and trucks via OEM partnerships with 20+ automakers, consumer mobile apps, and developer APIs across 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Navigation Software

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Navigation & Turn-by-Turn Apps (BPAMANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mapping & Basemap Platforms (Tiles/SDKs) (BPAMANAB), GPS Fleet Tracking & Mapping (TLABAJAA)

Keywords

• GPS navigation software
• Vehicle navigation
• Truck routing
• Map APIs
• OEM navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hsinchu

HQ country

Taiwan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Truck Navigation Software (Annual Subscription): Annual subscription for truck navigation app with vehicle parameter settings and map updates. Available for Android and iOS platforms.
2. 北極星II Car Navigation License: One-time purchase license for Android car navigation software (北極星II) at NT$899 with lifetime free map updates. Also offers monthly refund policy.
3. Map Update Licensing: Map update licenses sold for out-of-warranty devices, with pricing such as NT$960 for 3-year map update rights (e.g., Pioneer AVIC-F7400T).
4. In-App Purchases: Polnav mobile app offers in-app purchases including real-time traffic subscriptions, TTS voice guidance, speed alerts, and junction view features.
5. OEM/Embedded Software Licensing: Navigation software licensed to automotive manufacturers (Toyota, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Fuso, UD trucks) for pre-installation in vehicles.
6. Map API Services: Online map and navigation APIs provided to developers and businesses for integration into applications, suitable for logistics, fleet management, and software development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Polstar develops and licenses GPS navigation software for cars, motorcycles, trucks, and mobile devices, built on proprietary Taiwan map data with offline and cloud-based routing. It also sells a Maps API suite to developers and integrates its software as OEM-embedded navigation in vehicles from 20+ automakers, with 1M+ sets shipped across 40+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Polnav: GPS navigation software product line for cars, motorcycles, and trucks, available as in-dash embedded navigation and mobile app.
• Polnav mobile
• Polstar Map
• Polstar Map APP
• 北極星 (Polstar / Polaris)
• Polstar Online Map API
• Polnav Bridge
• Polnav Truck
• Polnav Car
• Polnav Motorcycle
• Polstar Map Online Navigation API

Products and services

• Polnav Truck
• Polnav Car In-vehicle GPS navigation system for passenger vehicles with ultra-fast navigation engine, real-time traffic updates, voice guidance, and EV mode. Compatible with automotive head units from 20+ automakers including Toyota, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, and Mazda, and pre-installed at the factory as OEM-embedded navigation.
• Polnav Motorcycle Rider-centric navigation system designed for motorcycles and scooters, with junction number indicators, route planning based on engine displacement, and automatic avoidance of highways and toll roads per local regulations. Available as embedded in-dash navigation and on the Polnav mobile app.
• Polnav mobile Mobile navigation app for iOS and Android devices, providing offline navigation, real-time traffic, speed camera alerts, and support for cars, motorcycles, and trucks. Integrates with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for in-vehicle display, with in-app purchases for real-time traffic, TTS voices, and speed alerts.
• Polstar Map Cloud-based online navigation application with real-time route planning and traffic decision-making, supporting passenger vehicles, motorcycles, large motorcycles, and trucks with configurable dimensions. Features indoor floor maps for buildings, malls, and transit hubs, and an enterprise fleet tracking backend.
• 北極星 (Polstar II) Android Car Navigation Android-based in-vehicle navigation software for the Taiwan market, available for Android head units and tablets. Features lifetime map updates, speed camera alerts, complex junction views, and voice input. Priced at NT$899 as a one-time license with a one-month refund guarantee.
• Polstar Maps API Suite of web service APIs including Direction Requests, Distance Matrix Requests, Sequence Requests, and Multidispatch Requests, enabling developers to integrate navigation, route planning, and fleet dispatching into their own applications. Supports address normalization, geocoding, address correction, route optimization, and location-based services for logistics, delivery, transportation, and fleet management.
• SmartHUD (Smart Head-Up Display) Smart Head-Up Display system that projects navigation information including road names, turn prompts, and speed limit alerts onto the windshield via HUD hardware, reducing driver distraction.
• Polstar Electronic Map Services (Enterprise) Enterprise-focused electronic map services for businesses, including address normalization API, route optimization API, fleet grouping API, address verification, and commercial map applications for logistics, transportation, and fleet management use cases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million sets of GPS navigation software shipped globally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability7 records

Feature12 records

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Waze: Google-owned community-driven navigation app with large crowdsourced traffic data network. Competitor in consumer nav and a broader incumbent in the navigation apps category.

Direct peers

• Sygic: Slovakia-based offline navigation app for iOS and Android with truck, RV, and motorcycle modes. Closely comparable to Polnav mobile's offline-first, multi-vehicle-type consumer app model.
• Garmin: Global GPS hardware and navigation software vendor with PND products and OEM automotive integrations. Comparable in consumer navigation apps, OEM in-vehicle licensing, and truck/fleet routing products.
• Mapbox: Developer-focused map and navigation APIs/SDKs used by enterprises and apps for routing, geocoding, and fleet dispatch. Directly comparable to Polstar's Online Map API business (Direction/Distance Matrix/Sequence/Multidispatch).
• TomTom: Amsterdam-based provider of consumer GPS devices and OEM-embedded navigation software, plus enterprise map APIs. Closely comparable in OEM licensing model and consumer app footprint.
• HERE Technologies: Global leader in mapping data and OEM-embedded navigation, serving many of the same automakers as Polstar (Toyota, Ford, etc.). Directly comparable across automotive licensing, consumer navigation, and enterprise map APIs.
• MiTAC (Magellan): Taiwan-based (MiTAC) parent of Magellan brand, producing PNDs and consumer navigation software with global distribution. Comparable heritage and product overlap with Polstar's consumer and OEM nav offerings.
• Telenav: US-based provider of location-based services and OEM-embedded navigation for automakers. Comparable business model to Polstar's automotive OEM licensing channel.
• Trimble Maps (formerly ALK/CoPilot): Commercial vehicle navigation specialist offering truck-specific routing software for fleets. Highly comparable to Polnav Truck's vehicle-parameter-aware routing and commercial customer base.

Emerging players

• KunKun (NavInfo): China-based map data and navigation provider serving Chinese automakers and emerging overseas markets. Comparable as a regionally-rooted navigation and map API competitor focused on APAC OEMs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PolnavTaiwan
• Xx.com/polstar_taiwan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Polstar