JAPANESE MAKE PRECISE 3D CITY MAPS TO PREPARE FOR ROBOT CAR BOOM (STA BREAKING NEWS and ARCHIVES)

by STANews , Tuesday, October 28, 2014, 12:23

A leading Japanese map maker is making extremely accurate 3D maps of Japanese cities in the expectation of a boom in robotic cars in a few years. The maps would help future cars navigate heavy traffic and bad weather.

A demand for the product may emerge as soon as 2018, Zenrin expects, according to an Asahi Shimbun report. The company says it has seen a sharp increase in inquires about their map data recently and is now providing data to select automakers for testing.

The Kita-kyushu-based mapmaker reasons that automated cars would need better maps than humans for better predictability. A robotic driver uses cameras and radar to explore its surroundings.

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http://rt.com/news/200139-3d-map-robot-car/