DeepMap
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Company type | Subsidiary |
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Industry | Software, computer vision, cartography |
Founded | 2016 |
Founders |
|
Fate | Acquired by Nvidia |
Headquarters | Palo Alto, California, U.S. |
Products | High definition mapping for autonomous vehicles |
Website | deepmap.ai (archived) |
DeepMap Inc. is a Palo Alto, California-based software company that develops high definition (HD) maps for self-driving vehicles.[1]
The company was founded in 2016 by a group of former Google workers as well as Apple veterans.[2][3][4][5] The software uses data from sensors and combines it with "data from all the cars connected to its system."[6]
History
DeepMap was founded in Palo Alto, California in 2016 to create
In May 2017, the company raised $25 million in a Series A led by venture capital firm
By February 2018, Bloomberg reported that the company announced it was working with the
In February 2019, The New York Times reported that research firm CB Insights included DeepMap on its list of companies on track for a $1 billion 'unicorn' valuation.[15] The company was analyzed in a November 2019 case study by Harvard Business School, in "DeepMap: Charting the Road Ahead For Autonomous Vehicles."[16]
In June 2021, Nvidia announced plans to acquire DeepMap to help with Nvidia Drive, the company's autonomous vehicle technology platform.[17]
Products
DeepMap develops HD maps with a level of precision that reflects changes in the road in real time. Digital camera images are combined with lidar (laser imaging) to build detailed 3D maps to represent real-time road network data.[8] By identifying the environment, including the locations of lanes and obstructions, robot drivers can localize their own and other vehicles' positions in real time. The maps are automatically updated as the car's sensors collect data, and the maps help predict the upcoming road.[18] The company describes its maps "as the 'part of the brain' of the autonomous robot that allows it to understand its location."[19]
The company provides hardware tools, software solutions and field data collection functions to allow customers to transfer their own fleet data into their own personalized HD maps.[20] The maps are integrated with other parts of a vehicle's self-driving system, handling large amounts of HD data while communicating between the vehicle and the cloud.
Operations
DeepMap is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. James Wu and Mark Wheeler serve as chief executive officer and Chief Technology Officer respectively.[1] The company's COO is Wei Luo.[21]
References
- ^ a b c d "Google Maps veterans found Palo Alto startup to teach cars how to drive". Silicon Valley Business Journal. May 5, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Founded by former Google and Apple engineers, DeepMap is mapping the future for self-driving cars". Venture Beat. May 4, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ "The 17 best new startups that have launched this year", Business Insider, June 15, 2017, retrieved January 7, 2020
- ^ "Group of Google Veterans Launch Self-Driving Tech Company", South China Morning Post, May 6, 2017, retrieved January 7, 2020
- Seattle Times, February 25, 2018, retrieved January 7, 2020
- ^ 29 start-ups that prove Silicon Valley innovation isn't dead, CNBC, November 14, 2017, retrieved January 7, 2020
- ^ a b "DeepMap, a maker of HD maps for self-driving, raised at least $60M at a $450M valuation". TechCrunch. November 1, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ a b "Another Group of Google Veterans Starts a Self-Driving Technology Company". Bloomberg. May 4, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Google Maps veterans found Palo Alto startup to teach cars how to drive". VentureBeat. May 4, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Nobody Wants to Let Google Win the War for Maps All Over Again". Bloomberg. February 21, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Honda is looking for your energy or mobility startup". GrenBiz. January 29, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Autonomous vehicle mapping startup DeepMap raises $60M+ on $450M valuation". Silicon Angle. November 1, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ "DeepMap Signs Deal to Provide HD Mapping Technology to Ridecell & Einride". FutureCar. December 10, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ISBN 9781476676159. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ "These 50 Start-Ups May Be the Next 'Unicorns'". The New York Times. February 10, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ DeepMap: Charting the Road Ahead For Autonomous Vehicles, Harvard Business School Case Collection
- ^ "Nvidia acquires hi-def mapping startup DeepMap to bolster AV technology". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- ^ "These are the tech start-ups to watch out for in 2019". The Gentleman's Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ "Driverless cars: mapping the trouble ahead". Financial Times. February 20, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ "The DeepMap Approach: "Your Data, Your HD Map"". Synched. November 28, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
- Silicon Valley Business Journal, May 17, 2019