Skip to main content

Japan to develop 3-D maps for self-driving cars in time for Tokyo Olympics

A joint venture in Japan will begin creating high-definition 3-D maps for self-driving cars in September as part of a government effort to have such vehicles on the road by 2020, when the Tokyo Summer Olympics will be held, reports Nikkei. Mitsubishi Electric company Dynamic Map Planning, mapmaker Zenrin and nine Japanese auto makers will begin creating high definition 3D maps for self-driving cars, digitally charting the country's key expressways by driving a vehicle loaded with special surveying equipm
September 13, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A joint venture in Japan will begin creating high-definition 3-D maps for self-driving cars in September as part of a government effort to have such vehicles on the road by 2020, when the Tokyo Summer Olympics will be held, reports Nikkei.

7874 Mitsubishi Electric company Dynamic Map Planning, mapmaker Zenrin and nine Japanese auto makers will begin creating high definition 3D maps for self-driving cars, digitally charting the country's key expressways by driving a vehicle loaded with special surveying equipment. The data will be processed using computers designed for the creation of maps, which will be provided to automakers that invest in the start-up.

As a first step, Tokyo-based Dynamic Map Planning, appointed by Japan’s Cabinet Office's Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program, will make maps covering 300km of the country's main expressways.

Mitsubishi Electric has developed the high-precision surveying equipment that will be installed on the survey vehicle. GPS will track the location of the car on the map and sensors designed to detect the inclination of the car will measure the road grades, while lasers will co0llect data on the locations of road signs and traffic lights, as well as right- and left-turns and pedestrian crossings. Lines on the road, such as lanes, noise barriers and road signage, will be plotted on that image to faithfully re-create road conditions for 3-D maps.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Students develop GPS traffic monitoring system
    July 15, 2013
    A collaborative summer research project between students from the University of Delaware (UD) and Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is compiling traffic data using global position system technology to quantify the severity of congestion on roads leading to and from the Delaware beaches. The students use two UD vehicles equipped with GPS devices programmed to capture travel time from one point to another, mean travel speed and delay using longitude and latitude measurements taken while the vehic
  • VTT launches AV for snow and ice conditions, Finland
    December 18, 2017
    VTT Technical Research Centre (VTT) of Finland has launched what it claims to be the first autonomous car (AC) to have successfully driven on a real snow-covered road. It also reached speeds of up to 40 km/h during a trial on the Aurora E8 intelligent road in Muonio.
  • Huawei is accelerating intelligence
    April 9, 2025
    At MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei released seven new smart transportation solutions and set out its philosophy for the use of AI to support safety and efficiency gains
  • Mobility digital twins for Italy from Yunex & Municipia
    March 1, 2024
    Focus is on reducing CO₂ emissions and enhancing the efficiency of urban traffic flow