TomTom bid to put new codes on map

TomTom has revealed that Mapcodes are four to seven- character codes which are unique to any and every location, making them easy to remember.

The new system, it claims, will enable users to identify any location on the planet accurately, within metres.

Mapcode co-founder Pieter Geelen said: “The idea of Mapcode came about when we saw that millions of locations around the world do not have a recognisable address and were hard to find. Introducing a Mapcode system means everyone is empowered with the ability to identify any location on earth, regardless of the country or its infrastructure.”

The new system works in a similar way to postcodes, but does not require a database to maintain a record of existing addresses. Instead, Mapcode uses a piece of free software that anyone can download. Then, by entering a location’s latitude and longitude, a Mapcode is generated for that location and then saved.

According to the Royal Mail, there are more than 29 million postal addresses on file, and nearly two million postcodes.