
Photo: IC Photo
Luxury car manufacturer BMW AG’s China unit is extending its partnership with Shenzhen-listed navigation software developer NavInfo Co. Ltd. to produce high-precision maps for autonomous driving projects, according to a Monday announcement.
Cooperation between the two parties dates back to at least 2017, when NavInfo agreed to provide mapping and navigation software for the German automaker’s China-produced cars. High-precision digital maps, which provide more detailed information than conventional digital maps, allow developers of driverless cars to optimize navigation routes and are considered a key component of autonomous vehicles.
Founded in 2002, NavInfo was the first company in China to acquire a license to produce digital maps, a sensitive technology that remains tightly regulated by the authorities.
Related: Huawei Gets Green Light to Develop High-Precision Maps