Ola Electric Gets Legal Notice From MapMyIndia On Data Theft, Licence Breach Allegations

CE Info Systems Ltd., the parent company of MapMyIndia, has issued a legal notice to Ola Electric, alleging that the ride-hailing company has improperly used its mapping data to develop Ola Maps. The notice, a copy of which was reviewed by NDTV Profit, accuses Ola Electric of caching and saving MapMyIndia’s data and reverse engineering a licenced product in violation of their agreement.

However, Ola Electric has disputed the claims saying allegations by MapMyIndia are "false".

MapMyIndia contends that Ola Maps has utilised its proprietary data for creating its mapping services, contrary to the terms of their licencing agreement. The agreement explicitly prohibited the co-mingling and reverse engineering of MapMyIndia's data and products. This breach, MapMyIndia asserts, has not only undermined its proprietary technology, but also misled users regarding the origins of Ola Maps' data.

“We would like to state unequivocally that these allegations are false, malicious and misleading. Ola Electric stands by the integrity of its business practices. We will suitably respond to the notice shortly," an Ola Electric spokesperson told NDTV Profit.

MapMyIndia disputes Ola Electric’s recent claims that Ola Maps was developed using only open data. This assertion is factually incorrect. Ola Maps’ development was heavily reliant on MapMyIndia’s proprietary data, which was accessed and used inappropriately, the company said.

Ola Cabs first entered into a multi-year licencing agreement with MapMyIndia in 2015 for access to its mapping data. In 2022, Ola Electric integrated MapMyIndia's services into its S1 Pro electric scooter. However, earlier this month, Ola Cabs announced that it had transitioned from Google Maps to its own Ola Maps for operational use. This move was highlighted by Bhavish Aggarwal, founder and chief executive officer of Ola, who revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that the shift had resulted in cost saving of approximately Rs 100 crore annually.