MapmyIndia accuses Ola of data theft and reverse engineering to create Ola Maps

Notice to Ola Electric: Digital navigation company CE Info Systems, the parent firm of MapmyIndia, has sent a legal notice to Ola Electric, alleging that the company copied its data and reverse-engineered its app to develop Ola Maps. This comes as Ola Electric is preparing for its Rs 6,100-crore IPO.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the legal notice was issued after discussions between the two companies failed to resolve the issue. "As of now, a legal notice has been sent to Ola after discussions failed," the source said.

In response, an Ola Electric spokesperson stated, "Ola Electric wishes to address the recent claims made by CE Info Systems Limited (CE Info) regarding the alleged issues with Ola Maps as reported in the news media. We would like to state unequivocally that these allegations are false, malicious, and misleading. Ola Electric stands by the integrity of its business practices and will respond to the notice shortly."

The legal notice from CE Info Systems claims that Ola Electric breached an agreement signed in June 2021, alleging that Ola copied data from MapmyIndia's maps for unjust commercial gains.

This development follows a social media post by Ola Founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, where he announced that Ola had moved away from using Google Maps, which cost the company Rs 100 crore annually, to its in-house developed Ola Maps. Aggarwal has been a strong advocate for developing indigenous AI and cloud platforms to provide startups with better pricing and services compared to foreign tech giants.

The situation remains tense as both companies prepare for the next steps in the legal process.

(With PTI inputs)