Bosch and Continental buy into virtual map company HERE
Both Bosch and Continental bought the HERE shares from its owner consortium which consists of Audi, BMW and Daimler.
Bosch said the acquisition would enable synergies for data-based services, not only in its automotive business but likewise in its activities related to Industry 4.0 (Internet of Things in manufacturing), Smart Home and Smart City. Bosch plans to put the focus of its HERE-related activities to creating open platforms for automotive and non-automotive customers.
In addition, Bosch expects to strengthen its services business through the acquisition. The company plans to establish itself as a provider of data-based real-time services not only for the automotive industry. “Bosch is more than automotive,” said Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner. “From our perspective, Industry 4.0, Smart Home and Smart Cities are business fields with strong growth perspectives where we can achieve synergies with HERE.”
Continental, which at the same time inked a strategic collaboration contract with HERE, plans to focus on the development of real-time high-resolution maps. Such maps are one of the requirements for automated driving.
The cooperation with HERE aims at developing technologies to reliably provide highly exact map data for mobility applications in general. “Digital maps and location-based services are key innovations for the connected mobility of the future”, said Continental CEO Elmar Degenhart.
Continental and HERE have already collaborated in various projects in the past. Involved were Continental’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) business unit as well as Continental’s software house Elektrobit. For the future, the companies will further develop and provide systems that are based on HERE’s main product, a cloud-based, real-time street map with resolutions well below 1 meter. For instance, Continental’s eHorizon information system for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) will benefit from HERE’s HD Live Map, improving eHorizon’s road-related prediction capabilities.
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