<i>VecCity</i> : A Taxonomy-Guided Library for Map Entity Representation Learning

Electronic maps consist of diverse entities, such as points of interest (POIs), road segments, and land parcels, playing a vital role in applications like ITS and LBS. Map entity representation learning (MapRL) generates versatile and reusable data representations, providing essential tools for efficiently managing and utilizing map entity data. Despite the progress in MapRL, two key challenges constrain further development. First, existing research is fragmented, with models classified by the type of map entity, limiting the reusability of techniques across different tasks. Second, the lack of unified benchmarks makes systematic evaluation and comparison of models difficult. To address these challenges, we propose a novel taxonomy for MapRL that organizes models based on functional modules—such as encoders, pre-training tasks, and downstream tasks—rather than by entity type. Building on this taxonomy, we present a taxonomy-driven library, VecCity , which offers easy-to-use interfaces for encoding, pre-training, fine-tuning, and evaluation. The library integrates datasets from nine cities and reproduces 21 mainstream MapRL models, establishing the first standardized benchmarks for the field. VecCity also allows users to modify and extend models through modular components, facilitating seamless experimentation. Our comprehensive experiments cover multiple types of map entities and evaluate 21 VecCity pre-built models across various downstream tasks. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of VecCity in streamlining model development and provide insights into the impact of various components on performance. By promoting modular design and reusability, VecCity offers a unified framework to advance research and innovation in MapRL. The code is available at https://github.com/Bigscity-VecCity/VecCity.

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Publication Details

Journal
Proceedings of the VLDB Endowment
Published
2025-04-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.14778/3742728.3742749
Primary Topic
Data Management and Algorithms
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

VecCity : A Taxonomy-Guided Library for Map Entity Representation Learning

Wentao Zhang, Yifan Yang, Leong Hou U, Jingyuan Wang
Proceedings of the VLDB Endowment
Data Management and Algorithms
article

VecCity : A Taxonomy-Guided Library for Map Entity Representation Learning

Wentao Zhang, Yifan Yang, Leong Hou U, Jingyuan Wang
article en

Abstract

Electronic maps consist of diverse entities, such as points of interest (POIs), road segments, and land parcels, playing a vital role in applications like ITS and LBS. Map entity representation learning (MapRL) generates versatile and reusable data representations, providing essential tools for efficiently managing and utilizing map entity data. Despite the progress in MapRL, two key challenges constrain further development. First, existing research is fragmented, with models classified by the type of map entity, limiting the reusability of techniques across different tasks. Second, the lack of unified benchmarks makes systematic evaluation and comparison of models difficult. To address these challenges, we propose a novel taxonomy for MapRL that organizes models based on functional modules—such as encoders, pre-training tasks, and downstream tasks—rather than by entity type. Building on this taxonomy, we present a taxonomy-driven library, VecCity , which offers easy-to-use interfaces for encoding, pre-training, fine-tuning, and evaluation. The library integrates datasets from nine cities and reproduces 21 mainstream MapRL models, establishing the first standardized benchmarks for the field. VecCity also allows users to modify and extend models through modular components, facilitating seamless experimentation. Our comprehensive experiments cover multiple types of map entities and evaluate 21 VecCity pre-built models across various downstream tasks. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of VecCity in streamlining model development and provide insights into the impact of various components on performance. By promoting modular design and reusability, VecCity offers a unified framework to advance research and innovation in MapRL. The code is available at https://github.com/Bigscity-VecCity/VecCity.

Proceedings of the VLDB EndowmentVol. 18(8)
University of Macau (MO), Beihang University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 72%
Data Management and Algorithms
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