Connected map services

How the connected map services work

Using the combination of swarm data from connected vehicles and other data sources such as weather information or infrastructure data, some highly precise and up-to-date information on numerous possible events on the respective route can be provided. The information ranges from road conditions such as low road friction, to weather conditions such as heavy rain, wind and low visibility to road obstacles such as accidents, construction sites and broken-down vehicles to wrong-way drivers in the vicinity. Furthermore, information on road and lane geometry or semantic information on traffic lights help the driver to feel safe even on unfamiliar routes and in complex situations. Unlike human drivers, who learn only from their own experiences, the connected map services benefit from the combined experiences of all connected vehicles.

Dedicated attributes can be derived on this basis; for example, the optimum driving speed in a roundabout, the exact lane geometry and driving trajectory at complex intersections, localization landmarks that the vehicle can use to position itself with centimeter precision, as well as information detailing exactly where the road is currently dangerously icy. This swarm data is aggregated in the Bosch cloud on four central map layers, consolidated into a multilayered, information-rich overall map and transmitted to the base maps of the connected vehicles. A fusion algorithm combines the weather and infrastructure data with the swarm data and merges them into dedicated information, putting it in relation to the respective vehicle. Thus, the information from the vehicle sensors can be enhanced with the information from the map sensor.

Using this extensive and reliable real-time information, the driving behavior can be planned in a predictive and safe manner and adapted if the road conditions change while driving. In this way, the connected map services not only improve and increase the availability of existing driver assistance functions, but also create new possibilities for developing and improving vehicles and mobility offerings, thereby raising the safety, efficiency, and convenience of future mobility.

_{*Source: Ten-year averages from 2007 to 2016 analysiert von Booz Allen Hamilton, basierend auf NHTSA-Daten}