Bosch, TomTom develop digital maps for automated cars
The two companies have agreed to collaborate in the area of maps for highly automated driving. Under the agreement, the Dutch navigation system manufacturer and traffic data vendor is designing the highly exact digital maps, while Bosch, on the basis of its systems engineering work, is defining the specifications these maps have to meet. Bosch is already using TomTom maps in the automated vehicles the company is testing on German Autobahn A81 and on the Interstate 280 in California. With a resolution in some cases of a few centimetres, these maps offer a higher exactness than usual satellite navigation. “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, said Jan Maarten de Vries, TomTom Vice President Automotive. The coverage will subsequently be extended to the rest of Europe and North America.
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. The localization layer uses a novel positioning concept providing highly accurate map data, which the automated vehicle uses to accurately calculate its position within a lane. To do this, the vehicle compares its sensed environment with the corresponding information in the localization layer. In this way, the vehicle can accurately define its position relative to the road and its surroundings. On top of the localization layer, the planning layer contains not only attributes such as lane divider types, traffic signs, speed limits, etc., but also 3D information about road geometry, including curves and slopes. With the help of this detailed lane information, automated vehicles can decide things such as when and how to change lane.
In highly automated driving, safety and comfort depend crucially on map material that is up to date. For example, up-to-the-minute speed-limit information has to be available in real-time, enabling the vehicles to establish a proactive driving strategy. In this regard, 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. And to register recent changes on the roads, such as changed lane configurations or new traffic signs, TomTom and Bosch plan to use feedback from fleets of vehicles equipped with the necessary sensors. These vehicles feed current Information about road conditions to a server where the data are verified and entered in the digital map database. The updated map will then be fed back to the highly automated driving vehicle, enabling it to see effectively beyond its sensors. Which by the way shows why an automated vehicle needs at the same time to be a connected one.
For Bosch and TomTom, the collaboration in the area of maps for highly automated driving is an extension of an existing partnership. For Bosch’s connected horizon, TomTom also provides dynamic map information via their real-time service backend, albeit without a localization layer. In this way, the connected horizon makes it possible to predict the route ahead and adapt driving strategy accordingly. This solution was demonstrated for the first time in 2014, at the IAA Commercial Vehicles trade show in Hanover. The system recognizes potential black spots behind hills, or the start of a traffic jam, at an early stage, and automatically reduces the speed of the vehicle well in good time. This strategy considerably reduces the risk of rear-end collisions. In addition, smoother driving behavior means more comfort for the driver and improved fuel efficiency for the vehicle.
In the meantime Nokia is still in the process of seeking a potential buyer for its digital maps service HERE. According to recent reports, currently there are only two prospective customers left. The shortlist includes an unnamed American financial investor and a consortium of German carmakers including Audi, BMW and Daimler.
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