Grab is partnering with Here Technologies, maker of Here Maps. According to Tech In Asia, Grab says this will improve accuracy of fare estimations, estimated time of arrival for rides, and routing of drivers to passenger pick-ups and their destinations.
Here Map’s location services for Grab will cover Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Sourcing data through connected vehicles and devices, the map features like places of interest and real-time traffic data, sourced by connected vehicles and devices. Using cameras and LiDAR technology to capture data like road geometry, speed limits, and road signs, Here Map’s technology can be used to create 3D maps readable by automated systems.
Here came about through several business deals and tech development by Nokia. The Here Maps app was an integral part of the Lumia smartphones, both before and after their acquisition by Microsoft. In 2014, the app became available on Android. It arrived in iOS a year later.
In 2015, Nokia sold Here to a consortium of automakers comprising BMW, Mercedes, and Audi for US$2.9 billion. Chinese digital mapping company NavInfo, Tencent, and Singaporean sovereign fund GIC share a 10 percent stake in the company since last year, while Intel acquired a 15 percent stake in January, according to Reuters.
In an interview with Reuters, Here Technology CEO Edzard Overbeek said the company is exploring navigation for driverless cars, as well as autonomous drones and other robotics applications.
In 2016, Grab collaborated with autonomous vehicle company Nutonomy on potential driverless rides. Although there hasn’t been much update as of late.
“Southeast Asia is developing quickly, with new roads and new rules emerging every day. By layering local map data on top of Here’s comprehensive location data, we can optimize driver-passenger interactions and further streamline our backend dispatch systems,” says Grab head of product Jerald Singh.
“We look forward to helping Grab streamline pick-up and drop-off processes, provide reliable ETAs, and ultimately improve traffic management in under-serviced cities like Yangon,” adds Mark Whitmore, director of Here Asia-Pacific.
Source: Tech In Asia
