HERE, Verizon Joining To Create Innovative Safety, Navigation Systems

HERE, Verizon Joining To Create Innovative Safety, Navigation Systems

HERE Technologies Verizon strategic partnership Innovative Safety Navigation Systems 5G Edge platform mapping advanced edge AI perception future enhanced road safety precise localisation navigation

Verizon’s 5G Edge platform, with HERE Technologies’ mapping and advanced edge AI perception are expected to create a future of enhanced road safety and precise localisation for navigation

HERE Technologies today announced that it is entering into a strategic partnership with Verizon to develop a range of enterprise, industrial and consumer-facing use cases. The companies will explore cutting-edge applications of the Verizon’s 5G Ultra-Wideband network and multi-access edge compute (MEC) platform, 5G Edge, combined with HERE location, data technology, and autonomous vehicle expertise. They will begin their collaboration by working on vehicle and pedestrian safety solutions, such as collision avoidance, and improved location identification and navigation for ridesharing pick-up/drop-off and delivery services.

HERE will provide Verizon with access to a range of location data, SDKs, and APIs from its platform. The companies are also planning to develop new connected services that will benefit various industries, from automotive to smart cities, and transport to logistics. The collaboration will initially focus on two proofs of concept, with the first being Collision Avoidance, which is aimed at increasing pedestrian and driver safety. The idea is to combine Verizon’s 5G Ultra-Wideband capabilities with HERE’s HD Live Map and Live Sense computer vision technology to create a vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication system. HERE’s Live Sense SDK identifies vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and barriers from a vehicle-mounted mobile phone. This data will then be sent to Verizon’s 5G Edge, where the Collision Avoidance AI predicts likely travel paths and warns vehicles of impending potential collisions.

The second proof of concept is with regards to Visual Positioning Service (VPS) that has been designed to enable near-instantaneous identification of a specific location with sub-meter accuracy using image capture. HERE said its proprietary 3D positioning algorithms analyse images or videos for accurate positioning, which occurs in near real-time via Verizon’s 5G Ultra-Wideband network and 5G Edge. VPS is a complementary solution to signal-based location technologies, such as GPS, because it does not rely on a remote server and is less hindered by tall buildings or signal deserts, the company explained. It added that this technology is also adaptable for indoor use.

Edzard Overbeek, CEO, HERE Technologies, said 5G will be a game-changer for many use cases in every industry. The scale of the Verizon 5G Ultra-Wideband network is designed to enable higher-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity necessary for more precise positioning, he added. “Our partnership with Verizon not only allows us to tap into the innovation potential of 5G but also highlights what is possible when this technology is location intelligence-enabled: connected services that are designed to make our world safer, more efficient and environmentally sustainable,” said Overbeek.

This collaboration with HERE further proves the company’s commitment to innovating around and improving location services and pedestrian and intersection safety, noted Ashley Vogt, Senior Product Manager, Advanced Mapping, Verizon. She said that by harnessing the power of Verizon 5G Ultra-Wideband and 5G Edge, along with HERE’s proprietary 3D positioning algorithms, the companies are driving together toward a safer and more precise future.