---
title: "Audi, BMW, Daimler-Owned Mapping Company Pairs With Japanese Sensor Giant"
description: "Here, the mapping company owned by the German Big Three, partners with Pioneer subsidiary."
date: "2017-03-05"
modified: "2017-03-05"
authors:
  - name: "Josh Condon"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/josh-condon"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/8093/audi-bmw-daimler-owned-mapping-company-pairs-with-japanese-sensor-giant"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Audi"
  - "Daimler"
  - "Maps"
  - "Pioneer"
  - "self-driving cars"
  - "Sensor"
---

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

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/03/gettyimages-500314248.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Here, the digital mapping and location-based services company [owned by the German Big Three of Audi, BMW, and Daimler](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/1173/audi-bmw-daimler-create-maps-for-self-driving-cars>), 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*](<https://www.autonews.com/article/20170304/OEM06/303069983/here-pioneer-to-expand-high-def-mapping>).

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.

## Author
Josh is a former editor at *Details*, *Road & Track*, and *MSN Autos*, and has contributed about a variety of topics to publications including *The New York Times*, *Men’s Journal*, *Automobile* and *Men’s Fitness*.

### Author social links