Mitsubishi Electric Corporation will make an investment of $18 million in Dynamic Map Platform, a company which provides high definition 3D map data. This investment will be used to fund the acquisition of US-based Ushr Inc. by DMP. In addition to Mitsubishi Electric, INCJ, an existing shareholder of DMP, and Japan Infrastructure Initiative Company, will also invest in DMP during this round of funding.
Ushr is engaged in developing and providing high definition maps of roadways for autonomous driving, and its high definition 3D map data was first launched in General Motors' Super CruiseTM. Following the completion of the acquisition, DMP will work on the growth of the North American autonomous vehicle market.
DMP was established in June 2016 to develop, test and manage the common foundation data for high definition 3D roadway maps, necessary for autonomous driving and ADAS. It is currently engaged in developing high definition 3D map data for Japan's national expressways and limited-access roads.
Mitsubishi Electric says that introduction of high definition maps will have great significance for the autonomous and ADAS vehicle industry and it will also support the enhancement of the industry that contribute to reducing traffic accidents and associated casualties, supporting the mobility impaired, and reducing environmental impact through alleviating traffic congestion. Other possible applications include disaster prevention and mitigation, maintenance and management of social infrastructure, and i-Construction*, which is the initiative for improvement in overall productivity of construction production systems.
