A few days back, Amsterdam-based navigation technology specialist TomTom has announced details about its autonomous test vehicle. The self-driving car will be used to test the latest technologies associated with the company’s High Definition (HD) Map, and its car-to-cloud-to-car map update services: TomTom Roadagrams and TomTom AutoStream.
Testing of different sensor configurations.
TomTom’s test vehicle is equipped with eight laser scanners, stereo cameras, and six radars. Bunch of sensors with different configuration provides a 360-degree view of the vehicle’s surrounds.
The data from these sensors is processed and referenced against the TomTom HD Map so the vehicle can locate itself precisely. The TomTom HD Map enables automated vehicles to find themselves on the road accurately.
Willem Strijbosch, TomTom’s Head of Autonomous Driving, said:
Having our own autonomous vehicle is a critical advantage when it comes to developing the technology required for safe and comfortable autonomous driving. We can continuously test our mapping technology on the roads, get insights and high-quality data on how it performs in a multitude of circumstances and, right away, feed this into our AI-driven map-making process.
TomTom’s multiple deals!
Recently TomTom announced that it had closed deals with multiple global carmakers to provide its HD Map, which covers Europe, the United States, and Asia.
A few months back, the Dutch GPS location tech specialist unveiled the world’s first comprehensive multi-modal trip planner, a solution to reduce congestion in cities around the world, that will enable developers to build richer apps for consumers to get around their cities.
Notably, executives from Moovit, TomTom and Microsoft’s Azure Maps demonstrated the solution that identifies all of the driving, parking, and public transit options, and surfaces them in a single package for the map user.
Additionally, TomTom also announced new or extended map and navigation deals with Nissan, Fiat Chrysler, and Volkswagen Group’s range of brands across Europe.
Prepared to power the future self-driving car!
Most importantly, TomTom has been working on navigation data and HD Maps as it prepares to power the autonomous car of the future. The company believes that HD Maps is expected to play a significant role in the evolution of autonomous vehicles to help the on-board sensors.
Combined with a highly intelligent, software-powered brain, the TomTom HD Map enables the car to see far beyond these sensors and make smarter decisions more efficiently. In other words, HD Maps offers a more accurate representation of the surrounding environment, including lanes, traffic signs, and other factors.
Strijbosch continues:
We’re already the natural choice for automakers who want to deploy automated driving systems on a global scale. Now that we can move even faster in our research and product development, we’re further elevating the quality of our offering.
The initial test will be carried out in the roads around Berlin, and it is designed in a way to improve roadgrams, TomTom Autostream along with Maps as well.
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