Elevation-Aware Map Matching Model Leveraging Transfer Learning in Sparse Data Conditions
Jie Tang, Sunjian Zheng, Yu Bo, Xue Liu · IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems · 2025
Map matching is a pivotal component of intelligent urban transportation, offering foundational data for technologies such as path planning, traffic analysis, and trajectory analysis. Diverging from conventional rule-based and topological map matching algorithms, we approach the map matching task from a data-driven perspective, presenting an Elevation-Aware Map Matching Model under conditions of sparse data. This paper initiates from the vehicular standpoint, constructing an Elevation-Aware Unit utilizing imagery and sensor data to acquire elevation information for diverse urban roads. Subsequently, this unit is integrated into the map matching model, enhancing the model’s resilience to noise. Concurrently, employing a Fine-tuning transfer learning approach, we formulate a cross-domain map matching model to maximize the reduction of model development costs. The model undergoes testing on real-world datasets, employing four metrics for evaluation. The results indicate the superiority of this map matching model over existing counterparts, particularly in intricate urban road scenarios where the model exhibits outstanding performance. Additionally, we validate the effectiveness of the Elevation-Aware Unit, underscoring the significance of height information for map matching models.