Open location platform developer Here and global car electronics company Pioneer Corporation have announced their intention to enter into a strategic partnership to enable industry-leading global mapping solutions and next-generation location-based services (LBS) for the automotive and other industries.
The agreement between Here and Pioneer follows the companies’ recent cooperation exploring the application of Pioneer’s 3D lidar sensor technology in the development of a data ecosystem for autonomous driving. By linking their complementary mapping and automotive technologies and assets, Here and Pioneer plan to enable fully integrated global SD (standard definition) and HD (high definition) mapping solutions at a scale and quality-level unmatched in the industry. These solutions are intended to support new innovations for customers in in-vehicle infotainment and autonomous driving, as well as in any industry where location intelligence can be applied.
Here and Pioneer are also exploring the development of new services that harness the real-time data of connected Pioneer devices. To ensure the success of their collaborative initiatives and reflect the overall ambitions of the partnership, the two companies are evaluating what could be the optimal level of mutual engagement.
The companies’ collaborative initiatives include:
• Here and Pioneer’s mapping subsidiary Increment P Corporation (IPC) intend to use each other’s map data in existing and future products and services. Here will use navigation-grade map data for Japan from IPC, which is a key part of its strategy to expand its map coverage in the country and offer integrated global mapping coverage to its customers; Pioneer will use Here map data in products and services it provides to customers outside of Japan;
• Here and IPC intend to enable a globally-consistent HD map that supports automotive and other needs, and are also exploring the use of sensor data generated by Pioneer’s in-vehicle 3D-lidar sensor in a HD map for a variety of fields, including autonomous driving;
• Here and Pioneer plan to harness sensor data generated by connected Pioneer aftermarket devices to power a next generation of LBS for the automotive and other industries, which they anticipate could come to market in 2018. It may also be used to enrich systems such as the real-time crowdsourced data services for drivers powered by Here.
“We are excited to be broadening and deepening our collaboration with Pioneer,” said Here’s CEO, Edzard Overbeek. “Pioneer shares our vision that location-based technologies will be hugely beneficial to people, enterprises and society as a whole, and we look forward to working together with their team to make this a reality.”
Susumu Kotani, president and CEO of Pioneer, commented, “We are very pleased that, through a strategic alliance with Here, we can provide a global map solution and location services, “We strongly believe that Here and Pioneer can create new value through the establishment of a data ecosystem for the forthcoming era of autonomous driving by integrating the strong expertise and technologies both companies have.”
