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Google Maps Competitor Announces Company Reset, Promises Better Maps

TomTom is currently one of the leading geolocation technology companies out there, and its navigation solutions, including the platforms that are embedded into new-generation cars, come with super-advanced accuracy and capabilities.
TomTom navigation on Android Auto 7 photos
Photo: TomTom
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At the same time, TomTom is also offering mobile navigation apps that in many ways compete against the likes of Google Maps and Waze, therefore providing users with alternatives on both iPhone and Android.

This week, TomTom announced what it described as a reset of the organization, as the company says it’s improving its mapmaking technology and therefore trying to streamline the process using latest-generation solutions.

All its engineering investments have allowed the company to obtain an advanced automated mapmaking platform that will pave the way for much fresher and richer maps.

TomTom says that by relying on high levels of automation, the maps it offers will be improved substantially while also allowing the company to upgrade its offering in the automotive and enterprise sectors.

But unfortunately, all these investments in automation also come with bad news for the company’s employees.

TomTom will lay off some 500 employees in the Maps unit, but it says that a full assessment will be shared in the coming months. Right now, however, it looks like some 10 percent of its entire workforce would be impacted by this reorganization.

At this point, TomTom is without a doubt one of the leading companies on this side of the market, yet the competition in the navigation software industry is becoming fiercer, especially as cars are getting smarter. And the more advanced the capabilities cars end up getting, the more advanced the maps they rely on must be, specifically, as the investments in self-driving technology are getting more traction.

Google too is investing big on this front, though the search giant uses a different approach, relying on Android Automotive as a pre-loaded platform that offers deep Google Maps integration for advanced navigation capabilities.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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