Case Study: Gaia GPS delivers offline Android Auto turn-by-turn navigation and 3D custom maps with Mapbox

GaiaGPS Plan trips and explore the wild in your car

Gaia GPS is the world’s leading backcountry mapping app, used by Everest guides, wildland firefighters, and thru‑hikers to plan and navigate trips with custom routes, topo overlays, and offline maps. The company’s challenge was to bring that same rich, customizable routing and mapping experience into the car — via Android Auto — while maintaining offline access, 3D map gestures, turn‑by‑turn directions, good performance, and efficient battery use.

Gaia GPS integrated Mapbox Map SDK v10 to add secondary surfaces, robust offline downloads, and performant 3D visuals, then launched an Android Auto app (summer 2021) with turn‑by‑turn navigation on saved routes, better battery life, and offline capability. The result: more adventurers can confidently off‑road and track routes from their vehicles on customized topo maps, and Gaia GPS expanded its cross‑platform reach with faster development and strong vendor support.

GaiaGPS

John Czaplewski

GaiaGPS