Digital maps, the key to autonomous control

Anyone who is a frequent reader of the “engine” of this section knows that we are accustomed to periodically offering updates on autonomous management. While the biggest challenges it poses are known to be legal and even ethical, there are still technical challenges that explain why its implementation will not be as fast as we once believed.

Today we will tell you that the German technology and engineering multinational company Robert Bosch is taking a two-pronged approach to this issue. On the one hand, for safer and more relaxed driving, it is developing solutions for private vehicles focused on driver assistance and partially and conditionally automated systems that are compatible with levels 1 to 3 of automatic driving, depending on the scale. Founded by the American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Bosch’s development team, on the other hand, is also working on higher-level automation solutions focused on fleet vehicles and new operating models. In the logistics sector in particular, the company sees attractive applications and huge business potential for SAE 4-level automated control systems. In addition, Bosch has already completed the technology Automatic parkingA ready-made automatic steering function that does not require a driver.

The fundamental tool for accomplishing all of this is high-resolution digital maps. Therefore, the Stuttgart-based firm acquired Atlatec, one of the world’s most innovative providers of high-resolution digital maps for driver assistance and automatic control.

This map plays a crucial role in the safe and comfortable use of features. Atlatec offers all the necessary components for creating maps from a single source: its portfolio includes not only data recording and processing, but also the creation of maps themselves, as well as the necessary quality control.

In addition to sensors integrated with radar, video and ultrasonic technology, digital maps are another essential sensor for autonomous control. The information they contain about the car environment and road accidents goes beyond the detection range of any car sensors.

To create maps, Atlatec has developed a scalable solution with its own touch box and Software Associated. The raw data collected by this solution is analyzed by artificial intelligence (AI) and enriched with relevant information such as road signs and sharp curves as well as structural elements such as tram rails. And because artificial intelligence algorithms are constantly being studied, the percentage of ways and features identified by this technology is constantly increasing. Based on the map information, an autonomous car can, for example, adjust its speed in time before a sharp turn.

Higher level of accuracy

The higher the level of automation, the more closely the map creation must fit into the management strategy planning. “The technology package of Atlatec GmbH to create high-resolution maps makes the company an ideal match for Bosch. Their mapping solution is very smart and fast, which sets it apart from other providers. For example, the artificial intelligence it uses determines and reflects road characteristics such as protective railings and lane markings with the utmost precision and consistency. This allows us to develop our management strategy algorithms even more accurately, ”said Stephen Honle, senior vice president of automation at Bosch’s Cross-Domain Computing Solutions, which Atlatec now joins as an independent company. .

Atlatec is also a useful addition to the technology Road Signature From Bosch that uses swarmdata (Swarm Intelligence Data) will allow self-driving cars to determine their exact position based on digital maps. Bosch has successfully partnered with various partners in the field of automated control and mapping, and the Karlsruhe firm will complement this collaboration.

Atlatec collapsed in 2014 from the prestigious Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and employs around 25 people in Germany, Japan and the United States. Bosch, the acquiring company and the acquiring party have agreed that the purchase price will not be disclosed and the transaction is currently subject to antitrust approval.