HERE is HERE to stay

The disruption of the location technology landscape continues as new players enter the market and companies like HERE find a new home. It is clear that access to high quality maps and location information is critical, not only to traditional players but to challengers from connected industries as well. Additionally, the progress towards autonomous driving will require real-time availability and on-demand downloading of high definition maps quite different from navigable maps available in vehicles today. A reduction in independent, global providers of this type of information would likely see higher price points which may force companies to invest in proprietary systems, in turn slowing the development and deployment of new technologies. Ensuring availability to the automotive industry would help avoid disrupting that development. The acquisition by Audi, BMW, and Daimler poses an interesting opportunity of how an industry collective will share a strategic resource with competitors.