Mapping Company atlatec Opens Tokyo Branch

“Here in Japan, automotive OEMs are currently upping their investments in autonomous driving,” says Kyosuke Tomoyasu, representative director of newly incorporated atlatec Japan. “The market is definitely growing and we see a rising need for real-life maps to be used both in autonomous vehicles and simulations.”

Germany-based mapping provider atlatec is now officially moving into the market to meet this need, having registered its Japan branch this July. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics just around the corner, the country is currently experiencing a run for innovative driving solutions: Local OEMs are aiming to offer SAE Level 3 automation capabilities on highway routes in a number of models in time for the opening ceremonies.

“We’re already in the process of delivering custom maps for a number of OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. In the medium to long term we’re aiming to build an on-demand route database like we’re already offering in Europe and the USA: We’re starting with the Metropolitan Expressways here in Tokyo and will build on top of that,” says Dr. Henning Lategahn, atlatec CEO.

Japan has been among the world’s top 3 car producers for decades and is also home to a number of famous truck and motorcycle OEMs. With the entire global automotive industry exploring viable mobility and business models for the future, autonomous driving is an area of high interest in the local economy.

atlatec was founded in Germany in 2014 and has grown to 30 employees. The team consists of several senior computer vision engineers and has built its own hard- and software for data collection and processing. The company specializes in custom-made 3D models of real life routes, creating digital twins of public roads, proving grounds and more all over the world.

For more information please visit atlatec.de