Tele Atlas
Encyclopedia
Tele Atlas is a Netherlands
-based company founded in 1984 which delivers digital map
s and other dynamic content for navigation
and location-based service
s, including personal and in-car navigation
systems, and provides data used in a wide range of mobile and Internet map
applications. The company competes on a global basis with companies like Navteq
, as well as with local map suppliers in individual countries. Since July 30, 2008, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary
of automotive navigation system
manufacturer TomTom
.
and address points. Clients of Tele Atlas include makers of automotive navigation system
s as well as mobile and internet companies which provide mapping services. The firm also supplies data to clients in the public
and private sector
s who rely on geographic information.
." The vans capture about three photos per second while traveling at normal speeds, resulting in more than 100 million images per year from each van; the images are stored on one of two hard disk drives within a metal cabinet inside the van, drives that hold about two weeks
of data. Meanwhile, the 3-D scanning
lasers record the width, height and contours of the first reflective surface they encounter, producing data that when combined with the images create a three-dimension representation. Three-dimension representations are already available in Japan and Western Europe; people at the company's U.S. headquarters in Lebanon, New Hampshire
, near Dartmouth College
, expect in August 2009 that by the beginning of 2011, devices based on Tele Atlas data will be able to depict the surroundings in photo-realistic detail.
On June 30, 2008 Tele Atlas announced a five-year agreement to continue to supply data to Google Maps
. Under the deal, Tele Atlas was to have access to corrections and updates to the data made by the Google Maps community. Roughly a year later, in October of 2009 Google discontinued using Tele Atlas maps in the United States, and began collecting map feedback from consumers for their own use. Shortly thereafter, in October 2009, Google announced Google Maps Navigation for Android, which provides turn-by-turn navigation
, similar to the functionality provided by TomTom devices, for free as part of Android.
In May of 2008 Mapquest announced that it had expanded its agreement with Navteq to use Navteq map data in 73 countries. In January 2009 Microsoft announced that it had expanded its agreement with Navteq to utilize its map data for 74 countries, in addition to licensing a variety of additional content. As a result, consumers in the Internet segment are likely to be exposed to Tele Atlas data less frequently.
offer for the company by navigation system maker TomTom
was accepted by the Tele Atlas board. This was then trumped by a €2.3 billion offer from United States
-based rival Garmin
on October 31, 2007 initiating a bidding war for Tele Atlas. TomTom responded by upping their bid to €2.9 billion, an offer which was again approved by the board of Tele Atlas. Garmin had been expected to counterbid once again: with Tele Atlas' main global rival Navteq
subject to a takeover bid from Nokia
, the company had stated that it did not wish both companies to fall into the hands of rivals. However, after striking a content agreement with Navteq through the year 2015, Garmin withdrew its takeover offer, clearing the way for TomTom. On December 4, 2007, TomTom shareholders approved the takeover. The European Commissioner for Competition cleared the takeover in May 2008, and it closed in June.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-based company founded in 1984 which delivers digital map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
s and other dynamic content for navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
and location-based service
Location-based service
A Location-Based Service is an information or entertainment service, accessible with mobile devices through the mobile network and utilizing the ability to make use of the geographical position of the mobile device....
s, including personal and in-car navigation
Automotive navigation system
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...
systems, and provides data used in a wide range of mobile and Internet map
Web mapping
Web mapping is the process of designing, implementing, generating and delivering maps on the World Wide Web and its product. While web mapping primarily deals with technological issues, web cartography additionally studies theoretic aspects: the use of web maps, the evaluation and optimization of...
applications. The company competes on a global basis with companies like Navteq
NAVTEQ
Navteq is a Chicago, Illinois-based provider of Geographic Information Systems data and is a dominant company in providing the base electronic navigable maps...
, as well as with local map suppliers in individual countries. Since July 30, 2008, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of automotive navigation system
Automotive navigation system
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...
manufacturer TomTom
TomTom
TomTom NV is a Dutch manufacturer of automotive navigation systems, including both stand-alone units and software for personal digital assistants and mobile telephones. It is the leading manufacturer of navigation systems in Europe. TomTom's customer service is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
.
Operations
The company provides maps, some sourced from other mapping companies, covering two hundred countries around the world, providing mapping data and "Map Enhancement Products" such as points of interestPoint of interest
A point of interest, or POI, is a specific point location that someone may find useful or interesting. An example is a point on the Earth representing the location of the Space Needle, or a point on Mars representing the location of the mountain, Olympus Mons.The term is widely used in...
and address points. Clients of Tele Atlas include makers of automotive navigation system
Automotive navigation system
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...
s as well as mobile and internet companies which provide mapping services. The firm also supplies data to clients in the public
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
and private sector
Private sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
s who rely on geographic information.
Mapping vans
The company keeps its data up-to-date in part through a fleet of dozens of mapping vans equipped with "six cameras, two side-sweeping lasers and a GPS navigation deviceGPS navigation device
A GPS navigation device is any device that receives Global Positioning System signals for the purpose of determining the device's current location on Earth...
." The vans capture about three photos per second while traveling at normal speeds, resulting in more than 100 million images per year from each van; the images are stored on one of two hard disk drives within a metal cabinet inside the van, drives that hold about two weeks
Fortnight
The fortnight is a unit of time equal to fourteen days, or two weeks. The word derives from the Old English fēowertyne niht, meaning "fourteen nights"....
of data. Meanwhile, the 3-D scanning
3D scanner
A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance . The collected data can then be used to construct digital, three dimensional models....
lasers record the width, height and contours of the first reflective surface they encounter, producing data that when combined with the images create a three-dimension representation. Three-dimension representations are already available in Japan and Western Europe; people at the company's U.S. headquarters in Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
, near Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, expect in August 2009 that by the beginning of 2011, devices based on Tele Atlas data will be able to depict the surroundings in photo-realistic detail.
Google and other Internet mapping agreements
Historically Internet mapping providers have utilized map data from a variety of vendors. Given the growth in usage of Internet mapping portals, the map suppliers have competed fiercely for that business.On June 30, 2008 Tele Atlas announced a five-year agreement to continue to supply data to Google Maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
. Under the deal, Tele Atlas was to have access to corrections and updates to the data made by the Google Maps community. Roughly a year later, in October of 2009 Google discontinued using Tele Atlas maps in the United States, and began collecting map feedback from consumers for their own use. Shortly thereafter, in October 2009, Google announced Google Maps Navigation for Android, which provides turn-by-turn navigation
Turn-by-turn navigation
Turn-by-turn navigation is a feature of some GPS navigation devices where directions for a selected route are continually presented to the user in the form of spoken and visual instructions. The system keeps the user up-to-date about the best route to the destination, and is often updated according...
, similar to the functionality provided by TomTom devices, for free as part of Android.
In May of 2008 Mapquest announced that it had expanded its agreement with Navteq to use Navteq map data in 73 countries. In January 2009 Microsoft announced that it had expanded its agreement with Navteq to utilize its map data for 74 countries, in addition to licensing a variety of additional content. As a result, consumers in the Internet segment are likely to be exposed to Tele Atlas data less frequently.
Map error handling
Map errors are handled using Tele Atlas Map Insight, described as "our consumer map feedback and change reporting system". The idea is to let end users report errors directly to Tele Atlas, not via the technical support of the manufacturers of products using Tele Atlas maps, and thereby reducing support costs. Map errors are reported using the Tele Atlas Map Insight map feedback web page, to which there can be links from the supports pages of the products.TomTom takeover
On July 23, 2007, a €2 billion1000000000 (number)
1,000,000,000 is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001.In scientific notation, it is written as 109....
offer for the company by navigation system maker TomTom
TomTom
TomTom NV is a Dutch manufacturer of automotive navigation systems, including both stand-alone units and software for personal digital assistants and mobile telephones. It is the leading manufacturer of navigation systems in Europe. TomTom's customer service is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
was accepted by the Tele Atlas board. This was then trumped by a €2.3 billion offer from United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based rival Garmin
Garmin
Garmin Ltd. , incorporated in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is the parent company of a group of companies founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao , that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System...
on October 31, 2007 initiating a bidding war for Tele Atlas. TomTom responded by upping their bid to €2.9 billion, an offer which was again approved by the board of Tele Atlas. Garmin had been expected to counterbid once again: with Tele Atlas' main global rival Navteq
NAVTEQ
Navteq is a Chicago, Illinois-based provider of Geographic Information Systems data and is a dominant company in providing the base electronic navigable maps...
subject to a takeover bid from Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, the company had stated that it did not wish both companies to fall into the hands of rivals. However, after striking a content agreement with Navteq through the year 2015, Garmin withdrew its takeover offer, clearing the way for TomTom. On December 4, 2007, TomTom shareholders approved the takeover. The European Commissioner for Competition cleared the takeover in May 2008, and it closed in June.