South Korean-electronics major, LG Electronics (LG) has partnered with HERE Technologies (HERE), a global provider of digital mapping and location services for developing next-generation telematics solution for autonomous vehicles.

The partnership seeks to combine LG's advanced telematics technology with high-precision map data and location services powered by the HERE Open Location Platform, for development of the solution. Through their planned collaboration, the partners aim to support automakers globally with a robust and secure data communications hub for highly automated and fully autonomous cars.

Telematics is an industry that is defined as the integration of telecommunications and informatics to provide vehicle safety and entertainment services such as navigation, location confirmation and emergency dispatch through various communication technologies, from GPS and DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) networks to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and mobile communication. LG, states that it is committed for introducing next-generation solutions that offer high-precision map information to meet the needs of the quickly expanding autonomous vehicle industry.

HERE Technologies owned majorly by a consortium of German carmakers – Audi, BMW and Daimler, provides mapping data and related services to individuals and companies. The company claims to currently have around 100 million cars using its map data and location services. It also is working with automakers on the development of HD Live Map, its highly-accurate cloud-based map service which supports connected ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and automated driving solutions.

HD Live Map, which LG intends to deploy in the joint solution it offers automakers, identifies all roads and surrounding features such as lane markings, stop signs, crosswalks, speed signs and traffic lights. It believes when fully developed, telematics will play a key role as the communication hub for autonomous vehicles. First, sensors in the vehicle's ADAS – comprised of cameras, radar and lidar – read the surrounding environment and send the data to the cloud along with information on nearby vehicles collected via V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything). All the information gathered is repeatedly analysed and transmitted to the telematics systems of vehicles for customized driving information.

LG says its telematics solutions support various communication technologies from GPS to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and mobile communication. And the company’s engineers are working earnestly to develop 5G products, which will be four to five times faster than LTE with 90 percent reduction in latency, ideal for next generation autonomous vehicle operation.

"We're presenting a new standard for autonomous mobile communication solutions in cooperation with HERE, which has unsurpassed cutting-edge automotive guidance technology," said J Y Kim, executive vice president, LG's Vehicle Components Smart Business Unit. "With partners like HERE, LG can continue to advance the next generation of connected car technologies to help prepare automakers for the self-driving era."

"To operate safely and efficiently, autonomous vehicles will need many kinds of robust data sources and powerful communication technologies," said Moon Lee, vice president, HERE Technologies APAC. "We believe our Open Location Platform-powered services can play a critical role in next-generation telematics technology for autonomous vehicles, and we're excited to be working with LG to make this a reality."