TomTom to Supply HERE Owner BMW With Tech

Mapping giant TomTom has extended its global reach by adding the BMW Group to its list of auto companies it now supplies with embedded technology despite the German automaker part owning arch rival HERE.

TomTom chose this week’s Paris Motor Show 2018 to announce it has been chosen by the BMW to provide on-board live traffic information, online routing and electric vehicle (EV) services for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles.

It’s clear TomTom’s platform was considered superior to HERE’s offering after an extensive testing program, with the technology applied to BMW vehicles, that began in April 2018.

The EV service claims to be able to provide motorists with information on the distance that their vehicle can travel before running out of charge. It then plans the most efficient route to a charging point on the journey and one which is suitable for the vehicle and available at the time of arrival.

Antoine Saucier, managing director TomTom Automotive, said: “TomTom’s vision is a safe, connected and autonomous world, free of congestion and emissions. The introduction of TomTom Live Traffic, Online Routing and Electric Vehicle Services into BMW vehicles is a huge step forwards to achieve this goal.”

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in London. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_

Technology