TomTom, which specializes in location technology, has announced that it will work with DENSO—a global automotive components manufacturer— on its software platform for autonomous vehicles.

The companies will develop a complete autonomous driving system by combing TomTom's High Definition (HD) Map with DENSO in-vehicle sensors such as cameras and radars to power the localization, perception and path planning functions for the system.

“This collaboration proves the value of the TomTom HD Map and TomTom AutoStream as critical components for autonomous vehicles,” says Harold Goddijn, CEO, 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.”

By working with TomTom and utilizing the end-to-end mapping system that it will develop with the location technology specialist, DENSO will be able to offer a system targeting Level 2 automation for highways and major urban roads.

The combination of DENSO's sensors with TomTom HD Maps will result in a system that is more advanced, more reliable and safer, the companies say. The companies also note that they have teams working together in Japan.

Under the agreement, DENSO will provide processed sensor data to TomTom's end-to-end mapping system for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

TomTom's HD Map will be updated on the fly by generating crowdsourced map updates called Roadagrams, which are used to ensure the HD Map reflects the reality of the road.

TomTom says that it can guarantee an accurate global HD Map when those updates are combined with sensor data from survey vehicles. The latest map data is then delivered on demand to the vehicles using AutoStream, TomTom's innovative map delivery system.

“We reviewed various digital mapping platforms and determined that the TomTom HD Map and TomTom AutoStream reflect our vision of bringing changes in the road noted by our sensors back to all vehicles as quickly as possible through HD Map updates,” explains Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, executive vice president, DENSO.

“Just as importantly, TomTom shares our commitment to safety that is paramount to the autonomous driving experience. Together, we will lead the industry with innovative solutions for all OEMs.”