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Move Over, Google Maps: Unity and HERE Completely Transform Navigation Apps

Navigation apps have become a must-have for the modern driver, with the last decade turning them from a rather expensive solution that was only available from the dealership into a zero-cost solution that you can carry in your pocket.
The new navigation experience developed by HERE 1 photo
Photo: HERE
The adoption of Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, and other similar navigation apps compatible with Android and iPhone has skyrocketed lately, and unsurprisingly, companies building navigation software have accelerated investments in innovations to keep up with these new trends.

HERE, for example, has already launched several revolutionary ideas that are available for automakers worldwide. Earlier this month, it announced a new partnership supposed to completely change the experience with car navigation as we know it.

Through a partnership with Unity, the company behind the cross-platform game engine that powers so many super-popular titles out there, HERE promises new-generation embedded HMIs with real-time 3D (RT3D) rendering capabilities.

A proof of concept published on YouTube and embedded below shows just how the navigation experience would be transformed thanks to the partnership, envisioning the way 3D rendering could help make everything more straightforward and less intrusive.

Created on Unity’s platform and featuring HERE 3D city data, it showcases a futuristic, wide-screen navigation experience of a 3D map of San Francisco and demonstrates what can be achieved with the addition of game-changing HMI workflow design improvements. To date, HERE has mapped in 3D more than 70 major cities in the US, Europe and Asia with plans to eventually offer global 3D map coverage,” a press release published by HERE explains.

The new partnership is supposed to expand in autonomous driving as well, but HERE says it should also help with further simulations and city planning once it’s ready. The collaboration is still in its early days, but more information about the new RT3D-based navigation system should surface rather sooner than later.

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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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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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