The Japan government, in line with the goal of realizing autonomous driving in Japan before the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, is promoting development and production of high-precision 3D digital navigation maps through directing establishment of Dynamic Map Planning (DMP), a company specifically for the purpose, in June 2016, according to Digitimes Research.
Shareholders of DMP include Mitsubishi Electric, Japan-based map producer Zenrin and several automobile makers including Toyota and Nissan, Digitimes Research indicated.
High-precision 3D digital navigation maps are used to enable autonomously driven cars to sense gradients and complicated conditions, which can be combined with AI (artificial intelligence) technology to plan optimal routes.
Data to be collected include 2D information on roads as well as 3D information such as sign posts and vertical crossing levels. Collection entails use of multiple sensors. In order to minimize collection costs, self-driven vehicles equipped with LiDAR sensors are generally used.
In Europe, Germany-based automobile makers have had their cars collect data on road conditions for HD Live Map, an automotive navigation map system developed by Germany-based HERE International.