Newtracs
Putting 4wders on the map
Newtracs is an off-road technology company. They provide up-to-date maps for 4WDers with track grading and condition reporting using world-first crowdsourcing technology.
They approached Sawwa with a system they had built to analyse 4wding trip logs to calculate a track’s current conditions. The team wanted to develop an iOS app to give users the latest track conditions, but also use it as a means to capture trip logs to feed the analysis engine.
Sawwa delivered Newtracs their first mobile app, allowing them to get their first users on-board. Within just a few weeks of launch, Newtracs had thousands of users around Australia. Over a year on, it still maintains a high rating on the App Store.
Challenge
Transform an idea and proof of concept into a product that 4wders all around Australia could use.
Outcome
Sawwa architected and built all the software systems (including an iOS mobile app) required to process and provide up-to-date 4wd track information to users. Newtracs didn’t have any users when we started and they had paying customers when we finished.
Scope of work
Strategy
Software architecture & design
Backend development
iOS app development
The process
Strategy & design
The plan
Our team dove deep into 4wding, and together with the understanding of Newtracs’ end-goal, developed an implementation strategy that would identify all the software systems required to deliver the Newtracs app to the market.
The first task was to identify all the components that would be needed as part of the project. Next we would need to design their interactions with one another. To avoid any surprises later in the project, the next task was to uncover any risks and mitigate them. Once we had completed all of that it would be build time!
The risk
Off-road maps need to include extra information, such as contour lines and hillshading. These mapping features are not available from the typical off-the-shelf solutions provided by Apple and Google. To be able to provide these topological maps, we would need to design and build our own mapping service.
The result
The mapping service was identified as a make-or-break component and therefore introduced a technical risk into the project - it needed to be tackled right away. We opted to build a proof of concept, de-risking the project and, at the same time, developing the first part of the Newtracs solution.
Software architecture & design
Many systems working together
After our initial analysis, we determined that we would need to build multiple systems. We mapped out each of these, their responsibilities and how they would interact with one another. It was important to do this before we wrote any code to ensure that we built a cohesive system that was going to be scalable and maintainable.
Build
Intermitent connection & synchronisation
In the cities, a data connection for our mobile phones is not usually an issue. When on off-road tracks in regional areas, it’s a different story. For Newtracs, not only did trip logs need to be sent via the internet to be analysed, but up-to-date track information also needed to be communicated with the app.
Once again, an off-the-shelf solution would not suffice to handle intermittent connections, mainly due to the volume of data that needed to be synchronised. We designed and engineered a bespoke synchronisation solution capable of handling devices dropping in and out of range.
Release
Sawwa filled the technical gap for Newtracs, designing, developing and releasing their app. Before approaching us, Newtracs had an idea and a proof of concept. After our engagement, they had a product, catching the eye of 4wding giants ARB and generating revenues for the company.
The app was downloaded by thousands of users within days and still maintains a high App Store rating.
