Japan Targets 3-D Maps by 2018

Japanese carmakers, mapping companies and the country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are collaborating to generate high-definition “intelligent” maps for self-driving cars by 2018, The Nikkei reports.

Creating the 3-D maps is the first stage in a broad agreement reached last month that involves the ministry, six Japanese carmakers and several major electronics providers. The deal follows a study panel set up by the ministry to find ways to accelerate development of autonomous vehicles.

Under Japan’s plan, the companies will create standardized maps that eventually integrate driving data collected by the participating carmakers, The Nikkei says.

The alliance is setting up a new research center for self-driving technologies to coordinate such issues as ergonomics, safety systems and international standards for protocols governing car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communications.

The Nikkei says the companies launched the partnership because of worries that Japan is falling behind Europe and the U.S. in know-how and technologies that enable self-driving vehicles. The newspaper notes that Honda and Toyota recently opened research centers in Silicon Valley to build their expertise in such autonomous driving enablers as artificial intelligence and object recognition.