Daimler and HERE Bringing HD ‘Live Maps’ to Cars

The cloud-based system will aggregate data from various cars to create a living map that updates in real time.

byDave Bartosiak|
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Kids today will never know the struggle of using a map to figure out where you are on your road trip. To them, mile markers are just strange relics from the past. I remember having to pull up to a gas station and hope that it's got the map handy for the state you’ve just crossed borders into. In-car navigation is turning into Google Earth and car companies are rushing to partner with tech outfits to create the next best thing. Daimler just announced a partnership with HERE Technologies to produce what it calls “HD Live Maps” to future Mercedes-Benz models.

The highly precise maps will be a key element for the expansion of autonomous driving technology. The maps are machine-readable so self-driving cars can use the data to effectively see around corners and plan the quickest, safest route ahead. Data from the sensors of cars on the road is aggregated in the cloud creating a sort of self-healing map which can reflect dynamic changes in the road ahead, updating itself in real time.

Mercedes-Benz

Speaking on the new technology, Ralf Herrtwich, senior vice president of automotive at HERE Technologies said, “The map of the future is one that’s self-healing – constantly updating to mirror what is happening across the road network. Together with Daimler, we are mastering this powerful mapping technology and are truly excited to make it available for the next generation of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.”

Maps from HERE are already being used in the current E, S, and A-Class models from Mercedes. New features will be added as they become available.  

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