Here Technologies has announced that the BMW Group is utilizing the Here HD Live Map, to enable hands-free driving in the USA and Canada. Here is one of the world’s first companies to provide high-definition maps for Level 2+ automated driving capabilities in series production vehicles. This is the result of a long-standing collaboration between BMW and Here on next-generation mapping capabilities.
The BMW 7 Series is the premium automaker’s first production vehicle to launch with SAE Level 2+ automated functionalities at a maximum speed of 80mph(130km/h). This function enables hands-free driving on interstates and highways, provided drivers remain focused and ready to take control. The Here HD Live Map will be integrated into additional BMW models as automated driving capabilities increase across vehicles, roadways and regions.
The Here HD Live Map consists of rich, highly accurate and fresh layers of data to support the vehicle in knowing exactly where it is on the road and what road features lie ahead. The lane-level data serves as a redundant source of information to the on-board sensors, providing additional safety assurances for the system. Here HD Live Map helps a vehicle to proactively adjust its behavior to upcoming road characteristics.
“A digital HD map is essential for highly automated driving. HERE HD Live Map is rich and reliable: it provides road geometry, route profile and traffic signs – all on a global scale,” says Dr. Nicolai Martin, senior vice president development automated driving at BMW Group. “We have been working with Here for many years to bring highly automated driving to market, and we are now thrilled to see the result of our collaboration finally come to life. Together, we are going one step further in delivering on our promise to provide a superior driving experience.”
“We’re delighted to see our Here HD Live Map enable automated driving at Level 2+ for BMW series production vehicles,” says Fred Hessabi, executive vice president and chief customer officer at Here Technologies. “This collaboration demonstrates the value of maps for highly automated driving. We look forward to supporting the expansion of Level 2+ to all types of roads, everywhere in the world.”
The BMW 7 Series is also the first vehicle to deploy Here Predictive Routing, a cloud-based routing functionality that learns individual driving patterns to propose more personalized journeys. In addition, the BMW 7 Series uses Here Real-Time Traffic across 70 countries. The service delivers drivers detailed information on traffic congestion with lane-level precision and potential road hazards ahead, with auto re-routing capabilities, helping drivers stay safe and save time.
