HERE Technologies Partners With PlaceIQ To Deliver Custom Services
HERE Marketplace Expands Data Providers
HERE Technologies has partnered with PlaceIQ to offer automotive customers personalized location data through the mapping giant’s HERE Marketplace.
PlaceIQ location data, focused on the U.S. market, is used by marketers and analysts to understand foot traffic patterns, competitive pressures, changing demand signals and consumer profiles, the company said. PlaceIQ’s Daily Visit Count allows brands to analyze insights from a customer’s out-of-home behaviors.
PlaceIQ, which already is being used by automotive OEMs, seems to be gaining traction as it recently signed a deal with Bloomberg to provide location intelligence for the media company’s clients. The location dataset provided will offer coverage for more than 400 brands, the company said.
Key Takeaways:
HERE says that as vehicles become increasingly connected and intelligent, it’s critical that automakers have a deep understanding of consumer behavior in order to deliver a host of new services – from assisting the driver with parking to making relevant restaurant and entertainment recommendations.
PlaceIQ is the first foot traffic data provider on HERE Marketplace
Contact: Jordan Stark, HERE, Jordan.stark@here.com.
Parkopedia Launches Indoor Mapping Product
Parkopedia has launched an indoor mapping product for in-vehicle navigation that is based on 3D models of indoor parking garages. The company says that indoor parking, where GPS signals are restricted, are a challenge for drivers to locate parking spaces, EV charging stations and other services.
The indoor maps are generated in-house by Parkopedia using the company’s own mapping vehicles using 3D mobile mapping rig consisting of cameras, LiDAR, GPS and IMU to generate the HD maps, said Brian Holt, Parkopedia head of HD maps.
“We have developed our own Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm that fuses all the data into a highly-detailed point cloud representation,” he said. “The maps contain rich physical geometry with all expected elements including walls, floors, doors, barriers, columns, ramps etc. In addition, we encode the road and lane-level topology to enable detailed route planning.”
Parkopedia says parking facilities will have no additional requirements: No beacons, WiFi, LiDAR, or cameras. “All the processing happens on the vehicle itself, which means that our technology will work in any facility that has been mapped. We upload the HD maps directly into vehicles navigation systems, hence no live GPS signal is required to navigate in these facilities,” Holt said.
The Company’s Future Plans:
Parkopedia says it has mapped key parking facilities in Europe, with coverage increasing in the coming months. It plans to expand this coverage into new regions to cater to OEM and driver demands, the company said.
The announcement follows the completion of the Autonomous Valet Parking project, which successfully demonstrated the use of indoor mapping technology to autonomously park a vehicle within a multi-story parking facility without GPS signal.
For self-driving cars that go on sale in the near future, the company says indoor maps will enable Automated Valet Parking, which they believe will be one of the first use cases because of driver demand, slower driving speeds and controlled environments in parking garages.
Strategy for indoor mapping product: The area is critical for car manufacturers in their pursuit of delivering premium driver experiences for new EV owners, Parkopedia said.
Ensuring fast and easy access to public charging points is essential for automakers looking to persuade drivers to switch to electric vehicles.
The rollout of the indoor mapping service does not coincide with a specific autonomous vehicle launch, Holt said.
“The technology can be used for vehicles today to accurately locate and navigate to indoor EV chargers or to parking spaces within parking facilities that do not receive GPS signal,” he said. “For autonomous vehicles, indoor maps enable vehicles to localize and navigate safely inside a parking facility. We are working on multiple projects with leading OEMs on this technology currently as we advance towards production use in the future for autonomous vehicles.”
Contact: Adam Calland, Parkopedia, adam.calland@parkopedia.com.
New Industry Alliance Calls for GPS Backup
The Open PNT Industry Alliance, formed late last year, wants to not only protect GPS/GNSS, but develop backups for the system.
Members include Focus Telecom, infiniDome, Iridium, Jackson Labs Technologies, NAVSYS, NextNav, ProTrack, OPNT, Orolia, Oscilloquart, OshoCorp Global, Qulsar, Satelles, Seven Solutions, TrustPoint, and Xona Space Systems.
Calls for alternative positioning and navigation systems—in case GPS goes down—have been gaining traction. In a recent The Wall Street Journal editorial, ‘Will We Be Ready if GPS Goes Down?,’ Diana Furchtgott-Roth says that while GPS is vital worldwide, it can be hacked very easily with inexpensive hardware.
As a result, government agencies and labs are starting own programs:
Many overseas labs and governments are starting their own backup systems and research: Israel starts research center for GPS-free navigation.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense and Israel Aerospace Industries opened a new research center to develop navigation systems that don’t rely on GPS.
“As militaries across the world work to provide stronger GPS signals and alternatives, the Advanced Navigation Technology Center will manufacture highly accurate inertial sensors.”
u-blox acquires full ownership of Sapcordia
Switzerland-based u‑blox [UBXN] has acquired full ownership of Sapcorda Services GmbH, a joint venture it formed with Bosch, Geo++, and Mitsubishi Electric.
Sapcorda, which provides GNSS augmentation services, was formed by the four companies in 2017 to go after industrial, automotive and consumer markets. These markets include autonomous vehicles, drones, machine automation, surveying, monitoring, and other advanced navigation applications.
Key takeaways:
Sapcorda offers the SAPA (PPP-RTK) service based on open formats for industrial and automotive markets in January 2020.
The acquisition of Sapcorda expands u‑blox’s suite of location services complementing its existing data services, including its assistance data and communication service offerings, the company said.
Full ownership of Sapcorda will also enable u‑blox to streamline processes to reduce time to market and simply customer integration processes.
Contact: u‑blox AG, info@u-blox.com.
Other Location News:
News tip? Send them to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com.
One company wants to sell the feds location data from every car on Earth. Surveillance company Ulysses trying to sell auto location data.
Lion Electric partners with Geotab to develop LionBeat telematics
Lion Electric is working with Geotab to develop LionBeat Advanced EV Telematics, a telematics product line that optimizes electric fleet operations.
Esri UK and Tetra Tech to provide product for indoor mapping
Esri UK’s partnership with Tetra Tech will offer indoor mapping product targeted to companies managing large offices, campuses, or hospitals.
Sub-meter tracking coming to campuses with Link Labs’ AirFinder OnSite.
Link Labs this summer is rolling out a real-time location and asset tracking product that features Bluetooth technology.
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Lytx Deploys 250 Units on Doughnut Peddler Vehicles
Lytx and Doughnut Peddler are deploying new Lytx SF300 DriveCam Event Recorders with the Driver Safety Program and Fleet Tracking Service across a fleet of more than 250 vehicles.
Doughnut Peddler has 18 distribution centers and five bakeries that serve more than 3,800 locations daily and make 1.4 million stops per year, the company said. The company also uses Geotab's Electronic Logging Device as well as Lytx' Geotab integration on its fleet management platforms.
Contact: Megan Humphreys, Lytx, Megan.humphreys@lytx.com.
CalAmp Subsidiary Partners with Stoneacre on Stolen Vehicle Recovery
CalAmp [CAMP] subsidiary Tracker has partnered with United Kingdom-based Stoneacre Motor Group to outfit new and used cars and light commercial vehicles with optional Stolen Vehicle Recovery service. The companies say that the deal helps to thwart keyless fob signals.
Contact: Suzanne Block, for CalAmp, block@merrittgrp.com.
USAA Says Members Showing Interest in Telematics
USAA members are showing an increased interest in telematics and behavior-based insurance programs. USAA recently shared that SafePilot enrollments grew more than 200 percent in 2020.
To accommodate growing demand, USAA is launching SafePilot in the majority of states throughout 2021, the company said. SafePilot is currently available in Arizona, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia, with plans to launch in the majority of states throughout 2021 to accommodate growing demand, USAA said.
Contact: USAA, communications@usaa.com.
Esri and Track Star Integrates ArcGIS Platform
Esri said GPS fleet management firm Track Star is rebuilding its automatic vehicle location software (AVLS) product around the ArcGIS Platform. Track Star will use Esri’s datasets and location services to overlay map data onto streets for municipal, utility, and first responder customers, the company said.
Contact: Jo Ann Pruchniewski, Esri, jpruchniewski@esri.com.
Spirent Enhances GNSS Simulator
Spirent Federal Systems said it has enhanced its GSS9000 Series constellation simulator to offer better precision and realism for U.S. military and prime government contractors. This is of particular benefit to military high-dynamic applications, such as space missions and hypersonic or spinning vehicles, such as missiles, the company said.
Contact: Jeff Martin, Spirent Federal Systems, jeff.martin@spirentfederal.com.
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