About This Article
"I want to display roads on a map using different colors for easy identification."
"I want to implement a route search feature using MapFan DB."
"I want to create a navigation app."
Have you ever been unsure which road data attribute to use in situations like these?
Road network links have two attributes that are often confused: "Road Type" and "Road Route Class."
Although these two may seem the same at first, their purposes are completely different.
In particular, you must always use "Road Route Class" for route search.
If you use "Road Type" instead, the app might end up guiding users through extremely difficult routes...
In this article, to help you avoid common mistakes, we'll explain the difference between "Road Type" and "Road Route Class" and how to use them correctly.
💡 Prerequisite Knowledge
This article assumes you already understand the basics of road networks (links and nodes).
If you haven't read it yet, please see this article first.
［Road Network] What is a Road Network? Basic Knowledge of Links and Nodes – カスタマーサクセスサイト
Differences Between Road Type and Road Route Class
Road network link attributes include "Road Type," "Link Class," "Number of Lanes," "Road Width Category," and others.
Among these, there are two attributes that are often confused: "Road Type" and "Road Route Class."
What is the difference?
What is Road Type?
Road Type is an attribute that indicates the classification or ranking of road links. It represents the categorization of roads based on laws and ordinances.
Classification examples
- National Road
- Expressway
- Urban Expressway
- Prefectural road
- Minor Road
And more
It is mainly used for color coding in map display.
What is Road Route Class?
Road Route Class is an attribute that indicates the priority and suitability of roads for route search and routing.
It is a key factor used as a criterion for calculating a route.
⚠️ Why are there two attribute? Isn't Road Type enough?
For example, suppose you want to search for a route from Town A to Town B. As shown in the diagram below, there is a National Road, which is the shortest route, and a City Road, which takes a slightly longer route.
Based on this criterion alone, anyone would likely consider taking a route along a National Road. You might assume that, since it's a National Road maintained by the government, it would be easy to drive on, but that's not necessarily the case.
National Roads that are difficult to traverse
For example, roads classified as "National Roads" may include the following:
- Very narrow roads
- Steep, rugged roads
- Roads that include stairway sections
If you try to navigate using "Road Type," the system might guide you along a route that takes you through incredibly difficult terrain.
With "Road Route Class," we use our proprietary evaluation methods to appropriately assess such roads and adjust their priority.
This enables us to provide more practical and safer route guidance.
📌 Important Points
⚠️ Always use Road Route Class for routing.
✅ Displaying roads on a map → Use Road Type
✅ Route calculation and navigation → Use Road Route Class
Other Important Attributes
In addition to Road Route Class, road links have other attributes useful for route search.
Examples:
- Attributes that allow preferential guidance to bypass roads even when multiple roads of the same Road Route Class exist
- Attributes that indicate arterial roads suitable for long-distance travel
- Various regulation information necessary for route guidance that takes into account traffic restrictions and directional limits (e.g., one-way, closed-to-traffic, no entry)
- Information representing road structure (e.g., main road link, ramp link)
Summary
Key points when implementing route search:
✅ "Road Type" is for map display, "Road Route Class" is for route search
✅ Road Route Class is a classification that takes into account the "ease of travel" on roads
✅ By utilizing additional information that identifies bypass roads and roads suitable for long-distance travel, higher-quality route guidance can be provided
How did you find this article?
Understanding the difference between Road Type and Road Route Class and using the appropriate attributes is the first step toward achieving high-quality route search and navigation features.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Ask Anything Support desk.