Audi, BMW, Daimler-Owned Mapping Company Pairs With Japanese Sensor Giant

Here, the digital mapping and location-based services company owned by the German Big Three of Audi, BMW, and Daimler, is partnering with Increment P Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japanese sensor manufacturer Pioneer, to expand its services within the self-driving car market. Specifically, "Here and Increment P are looking to use the data collected through Pioneer's 3D-LiDAR sensors to develop high-definition mapping solutions for autonomous driving," according to Automotive News.

The announcement comes as Japanese automakers are forming their own consortium to mapping solutions to rival the Germans—itself a move toward independence from, and competition again, software players like Google and its Google Maps products.

Here Looking to Expand Role, Add Partners

Data exchange among Pioneer's vehicle sensors via cloud computing would allow Here to provide more accurate and constantly-updated maps. Here is looking to increase its role as an automotive supplier for both highly-automated and, down the road, fully-autonomous driving technologies. Mandali Khalesi, Here's head of Asia-Pacific automotive operations, said during a February briefing in Tokyo that the brand is looking to work with other partners, and is even open to bringing on a Japanese carmaker as an investor, AN reports.