LIVONIA – Officials at Ushr Inc., providers of high-definition road mapping used to develop autonomous and connected vehicle technology, announced that the company had been acquired by Japan’s Dynamic Map Platform Co. Ltd. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Like Ushr, Dynamic provides accurate, high quality road maps used for autonomous and connected vehicle technology — in Dynamic’s case, in Japan.
“DMP and Ushr share common values of progressing autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance systems as well as enhancing occupant safety and comfort through HD map technology,” said Tsutomu Nakajima, President of DMP. “Through the combination, we will be able to offer automotive OEMs a comprehensive HD mapping solution for the North American and Japanese markets, with the ability to expand globally in the future. Further, we will jointly improve the technologies and expand the area of services, accelerating our customers’ ability to deploy autonomous driving and ADAS going forward.”
Using survey-grade LiDAR and camera technology, Ushr has mapped all controlled access highways in the United States and Canada — road features are represented in the map to within approximately four inches of geospatial accuracy. When combined with vehicles equipped with sensors and software enabling autonomous driving, Ushr’s HD maps allow self-driving cars to safely operate on mapped roadways, providing precise lane centering, smooth control through curves, and the ability to anticipate roadway changes. Ushr’s map technology was integrated into General Motors’ Super Cruise, the hands-free advanced driver assistance system for the highway, available in the 2018 Cadillac CT6.
“DMP represents a tremendous partner for Ushr and shares our passion for realizing the potential of autonomous vehicle control technology,” said Bruce Gordon, CEO of Ushr. “Joining forces with DMP will help us to further access the market for self-driving cars and ADAS, particularly as consumer adoption is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. On behalf of the Ushr team, I look forward to partnering with DMP to build on our success moving forward.”
Added Scott Ungerer, chairman of Ushr’s board and managing director of EnerTech Capital, a Conshohocken, Pa.-based venture capital firm and Ushr investor: “From a board perspective, we believe this agreement represents an excellent outcome for Ushr’s customers, employees, partners, and shareholders. Once closed, this unique combination will signify a remarkable step forward for advanced mobility solutions becoming broadly available to consumers.”
Besides EnerTech, Ushr’s investors include GM Ventures, Zurich, Switzerland-based Emerald Technology Ventures, and Atlanta, Ga.-based Forte Ventures.
More at www.ushrauto.com or www.dynamic-maps.co.jp/en.