AMSTERDAM — TomTom (TOM2) announced that it has acquired Autonomos, a Berlin-based autonomous driving start-up. The acquisition strengthens TomTom’s position in autonomous driving.
Autonomos has provided Research & Development consultancy services for automated vehicle assistance systems and has built up expertise and technologies in the process, including a full demonstration-level autonomous driving software stack, 3D sensor technology, and digital image processing. The company was established in 2012 after the founders had worked for several years in successful autonomous driving research projects at the Free University of Berlin.
With the acquisition of Autonomos, TomTom is joined by a team that traces its lineage back to the DARPA Grand Challenge competitions. The team will advance TomTom’s map-based products for autonomous driving applications. Having an in-house autonomous driving stack will enable TomTom to better serve customers with its products, including its HD map, RoadDNA localisation technology, as well as its navigation, traffic and other cloud services.
“This is an important development for TomTom as it will help us to continue to strengthen our capabilities for the future of driving and expand our knowledge and expertise,” says Harold Goddijn, CEO and co-founder of TomTom. “With this deal we are further positioning ourselves as one of the leaders in autonomous driving.”
“We are proud to have been selected by the world leader in map making for bringing autonomous driving together to the next level,” says Tinosch Ganjineh, CEO and co-founder of Autonomos. “TomTom’s technology combined with our intelligent driving know-how are a perfect match to make the dream of self-driving cars become a reality.”
No further details of the acquisition are disclosed.
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About TomTom
At TomTom (TOM2) our mission is to make technology so easy to use, that everyone can benefit from it. We created easy to use navigation devices, helping millions of people to get where they want to be. Today, we continue to simplify the complex, making technology more accessible for everyone. We have four customer facing business units: Consumer, Telematics, Automotive and Licensing. We make easy to use navigation devices, sport watches and action cameras for consumers. We enable businesses with vehicles to more easily manage and improve fleet efficiency whilst increasing overall business performance with our Telematics solutions. We also offer a world leading real-time map platform that is powering innovative location based services and helping to make automated driving a reality for the automotive industry. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Amsterdam, we have over 4,600 employees and sell our products worldwide.
About Autonomos
Autonomos GmbH is a high-tech start-up company based in Berlin, Germany, providing software and services for autonomous driving as well as customisable safety and automation solutions for heavy duty vehicles.
Autonomos GmbH was founded in 2012 by former members of the intelligent systems workgroup of Freie Universitaet Berlin, a leading robotic laboratory in Germany, well known for its pioneering experiments with self-driving-cars around the world (Autonomos-Labs). With financial support from the IBB (Investitionbank of Berlin) and alubi capital GmbH, run by Business Angel Alfred Möckel, Autonomos grew independently to a team of over 30 highly qualified software engineers in Berlin and Frankfurt.
Autonomos is currently engaged with OEMs and tier-1 suppliers to foster highly automated driving functions and help testing advanced prototypes on the roads. As an ADASIS consortium member the company contributes to shape the standards for future HD-mapping technologies for autonomous driving.
