Global location and navigation company Here Technologies has formed agreements with two of Germany’s leading auto makers to integrate its pioneering HD Live Map for self-driving cars, into all their future models capable of highly automated driving.
According to the first of the agreements, HD Live Map is planned to feature in BMW models from the beginning of the next decade, enhancing safety and comfort for drivers and passengers. This was the first commercial contract Here has signed with an auto maker to bring HD Live Map into production models, and follows several years of research and development with BMW Group.
In the second agreement, Here has teamed up to make its HD Live Map an integral part of Daimler’s autonomous driving technology, laying the ground work for upcoming generations of highly-automated and autonomous Mercedes-Benz vehicles to come to market with the benefits of the system on board. For Daimler, this is a logical step as the current E- and S-class models are already using Here’s maps.
Highly precise digital maps are a key component for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving. The machine-readable, cloud-based HD Live Map allows an automated vehicle to effectively ‘see around corners’ and consists of multiple layers of information essential for it to know where exactly it is, what lies ahead, and what it should do in various scenarios.
Here has created HD Live Map to be ‘self-healing’, so it can reflect dynamic changes in the road environment and update itself accordingly in near real time. This enables vehicles to proactively adjust to changing road conditions, such as for switching lanes and adjusting speed ahead of time in the case of an upcoming lane closure.
“We are very excited about these inaugural commercial agreements for HD Live Map,” said Ralf Herrtwich, SVP of automotive at Here Technologies. “BMW and Daimler’s trust in our map reinforces our view that with our innovative product, long-term development strategy, and sustained investment program, we are well-placed to meet the needs of auto makers as they introduce more automation into their vehicles.
“The map of the future is one that’s self-healing; constantly updating to mirror what is happening across the road network. Together with BMW and Daimler, we are mastering this powerful mapping technology and are truly excited to make it available for their next generations of vehicles.”
