Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

TomTom debuts end-to-end autonomous driving system at CES 2019

Georgina Torbet
By
NHTSA DOT UMTRI V2V test in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Image used with permission by copyright holder

CES isn’t officially starting until Tuesday, January 8, but there’s already news about some of the innovations that we can expect to see demoed there. This week, Dutch GPS company TomTom announced they would be moving into the realm of autonomous vehicles in a partnership with Japanese automotive components manufacturer Denso.

More CES 2019 coverage

Recommended Videos

The collaboration will produce an autonomous driving system which is capable of both perceiving objects in the environment and planning a path from one location to another. The aim is to achieve Level 2 automation which will work on highways and other major urban roads using TomTom’s end to end mapping system. TomTom will contribute a high definition map which will work together with in-car sensors from Denso like cameras or radars for localization and perception functions, which should make the system reliable and safe.

Related

In practice, the collaboration will be achieved by the Denso sensors picking up information and then processing it, then sending the processed data on to TomTom’s mapping systems so that the TomTom map can be updated on the fly. The maps updates will be generated through crowdsourcing, in a system called Roadagrams which will check whether the reality of the road situations corresponds to the map provided by the TomTom. And these updated maps will be delivered to the vehicles through TomTom’s map delivery system, AutoStream.

Harold Goddijn, CEO of TomTom, described how he sees the value of autonomous vehicle technology for a GPS and mapping company like TomTom: “DENSO is a long-time leader in automotive ADAS technology. We’re proud to be working with them to serve their Japanese and global customers. This collaboration proves the value of the TomTom HD Map and TomTom AutoStream as critical components for autonomous vehicles.”

In addition to the autonomous driving system, TomTom will also be collaborating with powertrain company Delphi Technologies to create predictive powertrains. The vehicles will have powertrain control systems which interface with TomTom’s maps to predict what lies ahead, taking information about speed limits and road gradients to control the speed of a vehicle and reduce its energy consumption. The energy savings aim to optimize journeys by reducing fuel consumption and lower rates of car emissions.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Georgina Torbet
Georgina Torbet
Space Writer
Georgina is the Digital Trends space writer, covering human space exploration, planetary science, and cosmology. She…
Apple buys Drive.ai and shifts its autonomous car plans into high gear
Drive.ai Texas image

Apple opened its war chest to purchase a startup named Drive.ai that specializes in developing the technology needed to power self-driving cars. The acquisition -- which some see as an acqui-hire -- represents the latest turn in the tech giant's rocky road towards releasing autonomous technology.

An Apple representative confirmed the purchase, but the company refused to reveal how much it paid for four-year-old Drive.ai This isn't a merger of equals, though. The San Francisco Chronicle learned Drive.ai had notified California regulators that it planned to shut down by the end of June 2019 and lay off about 90 employees. Apple saved a company that had only a few days left to live. Viewed in that light, the deal might have been too good to pass up.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more
Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs
Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.

Read more