TomTom, Bosch Go High-Def on Driverless Maps

TomTom International BV and Robert Bosch GmbH have begun testing high-definition digital maps in parts of Germany and the U.S. Designed for autonomous vehicles, the new maps provide greater accuracy than current digital maps to allow self-driving cars to interact with the surrounding infrastructure.

The partners have been developing the maps, which can pinpoint a vehicle’s location on the road within a few centimeters, since July 2015. The technology uses Bosch’s radar sensors to create a precise “road signature” based on localized information.

Under the partnership, TomTom is designing the maps and Bosch defines the required specifications. The new high-definition maps feature multiple layers including localization and planning and more precise positioning, which the companies say now can be measured in decimeters.

While the localization layer pinpoints a vehicle's position within a lane, the planning layer identifies lane divider types, traffic signs, speed limits and contains information about road topography, including hills and curves. The technology creates a real-time 3-D digital representation of the driving environment to help autonomous vehicles prepare for changes in traffic and road conditions. This includes determining if and when and at what speed it's safe to change lanes.

In addition to TomTom's own network of vehicles that collects mapping data, the partners are working with independent fleet companies to provide updated information about new traffic signs and other infrastructure data. Once verified, the new information will be transferred to TomTom's database for autonomous vehicles to use.

Separately, TomTom says it has added 13 countries and 1.8 million miles of roads to its existing digital map database. With the additions in Central and South America, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, TomTom now maps 134 countries and more than 28 million miles of roads.