TomTom and Mitsubishi Electric collaborate to advanceAutomated Driving |
TomTom’s High Definition Map combined with Mitsubishi Electric’s High-Definition Locator provides automakers with a high-precision, integrated solution for next-generation vehicles.
With this collaboration, the companies are developing
hardware solutions that provide the highly accurate navigation data required
for automated driving.
TomTom ( TOM2 ), the location technology specialist, and
Mitsubishi Electric (TOKYO: 6503) today announced they are integrating
technologies to develop new solutions and drive innovation in automated
driving.
Through this collaboration, TomTom’s High Definition (HD)
Map will power Mitsubishi Electric’s High-Definition Locator hardware,
providing the highly accurate data required for automated driving. Mitsubishi
Electric’s High-Definition Locator is a highly precise GPS-based vehicle
positioning system that utilizes quasi-zenith satellites (QZSS) to provide
unmatched accuracy at all times. Combined with the high-definition mapping that
TomTom’s HD Map provides, the system generates accurate information on the vehicle’s
position and road data critical for automated driving applications such as
advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) applications.
TomTom leverages a multi-sourcing strategy for its HD Map,
including data from GPS probes, front facing cameras, and vehicle sensors, to
allow automated driving systems to anticipate the road ahead. Already being
used in millions of vehicles on the road for Levels 1 to 2-Plus autonomous
driving, TomTom’s HD Map technology is consistently updated, providing a highly
detailed representation of the road and allowing self-driving vehicles to
pinpoint the location of all road elements, including lane centerlines, traffic
signs, and other objects, to make sense of their surroundings.
“We’re exhilarated to work with TomTom, widely recognized as
the leading provider of precise and reliable mapping data,” said Michael
Horani, Director of Advanced Development, Mitsubishi Electric Automotive
America, Inc. “Through this collaboration, we help accelerate innovation in
automated driving and utilize industry-leading, up-to-date maps to improve the
safety of autonomous vehicles.”
“With drivers relying more heavily on their cars, the role and scope of digital maps must go beyond turn-by-turn navigation and be built specifically for self-driving vehicles,” said Paul Hesen, VP Product Management, TomTom. “TomTom HD Maps are designed for this purpose. Our highly detailed and accurate maps help vehicles plan a path and safely travel along any route, making all necessary adjustments, including changing lanes, taking exits and merging into highway traffic, enabling further developments for Level 2-Plus to Level 5 autonomous driving.”