Currently reading: Map makers hold the key to autonomous vehicles

Locating cars to centimetre precision requires high investment and costly on-board tech but promises high rewards

One of the most intriguing automotive announcements at this January's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) lacked any of the usual fanfare, instead being buried in a Volvo/Polestar press release: Google is getting into the high-definition maps business with a new company called Geo Automotive.

A single quote from the division head, Jorgen Behrens, summed up in the release what this potentially game changing new company will do: “Google’s new HD map is designed specifically for auto makers and provides comprehensive lane-level and localisation data that is crucial to powering the next generation of assisted and autonomous driving systems.” 

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