Bosch And TomTom To Innovate Mapping Tech For Automated Driving

Bosch and TomTom have partnered to the complete the automated driving picture, which is a big puzzle. The two companies have agreed to collaborate in the area of maps for highly automated driving.

TomTom is designing the necessary maps, while Bosch is defining the specifications these maps have to meet, on the basis of its systems engineering work.

Currently, the maps are already being used in the automated vehicles Bosch is testing on certain public roads in Germany and in the United States.

Dr. Dirk Hoheisel, the Bosch board of management member said, "Only with high precision maps will automated driving on freeways be possible from 2020."

Jan Maarten de Vries, the Vice President Automotive at TomTom says, "By the end of 2015, we want to have new high-precision maps for automated driving for all freeways and freeway-like roads in Germany."

Maps for highly automated driving and the maps used in current navigation systems differ primarily in two respects. First, accuracy is significantly higher - down to decimeter precision. Second, the map material for highly automated driving consists of multiple layers.

The traditional base navigation layer is used to calculate routes from A to B, including the sequence of roads to be driven, while the localisation layer uses a novel positioning concept providing highly accurate map data, which the automated vehicle uses to accurately calculate its position within a lane.

The planning layer contains not only attributes such as lane divider types, traffic signs, speed limits, etc., but also 3D information about road geometry, curves and slopes. With the help of this very detailed lane information, the automated vehicle can decide things such as when and how to change lane.

Bosch and TomTom rely on several elements and services to keep the map data up to date. The TomTom mapping fleet will continue to be regularly on the road, accurately mapping new roads and routes.

For Bosch and TomTom, this collaboration in the area of maps for highly automated driving is an extension of an already existing, successful partnership.