Amap Software Co., a Chinese web mapping and navigation services provider says it has made its HD map and data services free to automakers during the development and testing of autonomous cars in the world’s largest auto market.
Amap claims that its free HD map offers an alternative for both automakers and map service providers to the traditional buyer-seller relationship of offline map data. Amap provides a “real-time kinematic (RTK) data service platform that guarantees service continuity and clear pricing, while reducing the cost of app development and improving update speed.”
Wei Dong, president of the automobile business unit of Amap and vice president of Alibaba’s UC Mobile Business Group says that as Amap provides free HD map and data services to partner automakers, the traditional map data seller will become obsolete, “replaced by a dynamic big data service provider, which will help build the smart travel model of the future.”
As one of the first companies in China to collect HD map data and carry out technological research and development, Amap claims to be a leader in the specialized equipment and accuracy of collecting HD map data. They say it accurately reflects changes in map data since Amap can monitor, collect and feedback real-time road traffic updates.
Amap previously announced in December that it will launch version 2.0 of its Amap Auto, the first internet in-vehicle navigation system in China. Version 2.0 will be equipped with Amap’s artificial intelligence software that provides the optimized travel services customized to individual needs and different driving conditions.
“Amap’s mobile app is now the No.1 ranking smartphone map app in the industry with the highest number of daily active users,” says Yongfu Yu, president of Amap and Alibaba’s Mobile Business Group. “As the focus shifts from ‘smartphone + PC’ to ‘smartphone + automobile, Amap will lend its full support to the development of automotive industry.”
“Regarding Amap auto version 2.0, Amap has already reached cooperative agreements with several unnamed automakers in China with more ongoing discussions,” adds Wei Dong. “Moving forward, we will continue to share our big data and cloud computing technology and work together with the industry as a whole to welcome an all-new ecological approach to ‘automobile + internet’.”
