HERE to deliver BMW drivers safety services

Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Intelligent and connected vehicle technology took a significant step forward today with the commercial launch of the HERE Safety Services Suite.

This cloud-based services suite, developed by HERE Technologies, is unique because it is the first to aggregate real-time, rich sensor data generated by cars of different brands on the road. HERE then transforms this data into useful live road safety information that is delivered to drivers and passengers through the car's head unit display, or to the car's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to support automated safety functions.

BMW will be the first automaker to offer HERE Safety Services in production vehicles beginning in mid-2018. The services will first become available to drivers and passengers across North America and Western Europe.

"Digital real-time maps and location-based services form the basis for the mobility of tomorrow. In summer 2017, the BMW Group introduced the first stage of local hazard warning based on intelligent connectivity and car-to-car communications," said Dieter May, Senior Vice President Digital Services and Business Models at BMW Group. "We are delighted that the next stage will follow from mid-2018 and that BMW drivers will be the first to benefit from this enhanced service. All this data on local hazards, such as the scene of an accident or dangerous weather conditions, can be shared on an anonymous basis to warn drivers in good time and so further improve safety."

The fleet providing live sensor data to HERE is expected to grow quickly after launch, surpassing more than ten million vehicles in 2019.

The HERE Safety Services Suite consists of HERE Hazard Warnings and HERE Road Signs. HERE Hazard Warnings, which has been developed using algorithms and know-how from both HERE and BMW, provides drivers and passengers with information about potential road hazards, accidents and extreme weather events, such as slippery roads and reduced visibility. HERE Road Signs provides up-to-date traffic signage information, including permanent and dynamic speed limits.

"The HERE Safety Services Suite demonstrates how HERE transforms singular pieces of sensor data into valuable new services that make driving safer and more comfortable," said Ralf Herrtwich, Head of Automotive at HERE. "As cars become increasingly connected and intelligent, the HERE Open Location Platform is the place where the entire industry can contribute to and access differentiating products and services that not long ago seemed out of reach."

The services are built on the HERE Open Location Platform, which enables multiple automakers to transmit live, anonymized sensor data that is then aggregated, enriched with high-precision location data, and transmitted back to cars in the form of near real-time, geo-targeted, contextually-relevant information about changing road conditions.
The HERE Safety Services Suite utilizes data emitting from an array of on-board sensors, including hazard lights, fog lights, camera, emergency brakes and electronic stability control.

The HERE Safety Services not only benefit road users - and highlight new possibilities for automakers to create value through the HERE Open Location Platform - but they also support mapping technology for automated driving. The services build the foundation for HERE HD Live Map to be entirely self-healing, where car sensor data is used to detect change in the real world. The result is an accurate and real-time representation of the road network.

"HERE is driving the next generation of connected car services built on crowd-sourced sensor data," said James Hodgson, Senior Analyst at ABI Research. "This most recent announcement with BMW demonstrates how HERE is leveraging existing sensor and cellular connectivity technologies, in tandem with their market-leading location intelligence expertise, to deliver connected services that are both compelling and which contribute to driver safety."

HERE will be demonstrating HERE Safety Services at its booth at CES 2018 in Las Vegas on January 9-12, 2018.

Image: a still from a video depicting car sensor data in the Munich area processed by HERE on December 4, 2017. The video is available here: http://youtu.be/NK48uHRr4Vg