Software giant Microsoft and digital map and location leader NAVTEQ have signed a technology agreement that will see both companies accelerate the development of 3D map data and visuals for the next generation of Bing GPS services and devices.
NAVTEQ has been a long-time provider of map data to Microsoft. The new relationship with the Seattle software leader elevates the 10-year alliance to “trusted collaborator”.
Collaborative work
The work that NAVTEQ has collaborated on with Microsoft includes advanced attributes, such as road curvature and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) geometry.
NAVTEQ will be integrating these new technologies into its field collection vehicles and the company’s full roster of customers will be able to benefit from this technology deployment.
This will accelerate not only the efficient integration of 3D visuals into the NAVTEQ map, but also new product development, which will reap benefits across the full range of NAVTEQ’s product portfolio.
“Microsoft is extremely enthusiastic about this new chapter in its relationship with NAVTEQ and is focused on bringing the mapping experience alive for our consumers, using street-level visuals powered by NAVTEQ,” said Erik Jorgensen, corporate vice-president of MSN at Microsoft.
The opportunity to work more closely with NAVTEQ and leverage our respective technological strengths for the overall advancement of this type of data collection is a true ‘win-win’ for both companies and for consumers.”
Through Bing Maps
Microsoft will be able to deploy the visuals generated through these efforts to their consumers via Bing Maps.
“NAVTEQ continues to believe that the quality of data collection, which provides the building blocks for the underlying digital map in any navigation or location-enabled device, is paramount to a superior user experience,” Cliff Fox, executive vice-president, NAVTEQ Maps.
“Microsoft shares this view, and openly welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with NAVTEQ in new ways to accelerate the development of technologies which we believe are crucial to the growing expectations of consumers using NAVTEQ maps,” Fox added.
By John Kennedy
Photo: Bing Maps.
