Toyota Plans To Use Self-Driving Cars To Develop High Precision Maps

Toyota will soon unveil a new mapping technology that relies on production model self-driving cars’ cameras and GPS to take real-time images of roads as well as vehicle positioning information.

According to a press release, Toyota will subsequently process that information through its new software system and send it to data centers, where it will be used to create high precision maps. The new system will go on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

To aid in driverless car efforts, many companies have turned to mapping routes, with the intention of increasing safety as the vehicles can combine these precise, digital maps with real-time data of their surroundings to avoid accidents.

“An understanding of road layouts and traffic rules (including speed limits and various road signs) is essential for the successful implementation of automated driving technologies,” wrote Toyota in a press release. “Additionally, high precision measurement of positional information requires the collection of information on dividing lines, curbs, and other road characteristics.”

Recently, Audi, Daimler and BMW acquired Here, the former mapping division of Nokia, to make real-time maps to assist in their driverless car developments. Google is also mapping its own routes.

Toyota’s press release explains the company used to collect its data using vehicles equipped with three-dimensional laser scanners, but the data was taking too long to collect and was becoming too expensive.

“Due to the infrequent nature of data collection, maps generated in this manner are seldom updated, limiting their usefulness,” wrote Toyota.

Although the routes that are captured by 3D laser technology are more accurate, Toyota said that having more people on the road mapping the same routes repeatedly will keep the margin of error to a maximum of 2 inches on a straight road. Additionally, by utilizing production vehicles and existing infrastructure to collect information, the data can be updated in real time.

Toyota plans to include this system as a core element in automated driving vehicles once its production vehicles hit the road, by around 2020. The company says that while initial use of the system is expected to be limited to freeways, its future development goals include expanding the functionality to cover ordinary roads and to assist in hazard avoidance. Toyota will also seek collaboration with mapmakers, with the goal to encourage the use of high precision map data in services that are offered by both the public and private sectors.

This concept sounds promising, but it may raise privacy concerns for some. Although the data collection will be limited to production vehicles, what imagery and information will it pick up about other vehicles, homes or people? Toyota doesn’t mention anything about privacy protection in its press release, but perhaps the company will offer more details when the system is unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.