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Microsoft Taps Here and TomTom To Expand Into Connected Data (thestack.com)
You can't build a good self-driving car without good maps. Microsoft seems to realize this, and it's teaming up with TomTom and Here to ensure the next generation of cars comes with some quality maps. From a report: Integrating the two companies' maps, traffic data and navigation software into Azure, Microsoft hopes to support developers looking to build and manage 'location aware' mobile, web and IoT applications. Speaking of the new deal, TomTom CEO Harold Goddijn noted how location services are rapidly becoming a critical component in a wide range of applications and enterprise-grade solutions. He said that the Microsoft partnership would help to extend the TomTom technology to a wider developer community, over a cloud platform they are already familiar working with. Peggy Johnson, EVP of Business Development at Microsoft added: 'Making TomTom's services available through the Microsoft Azure cloud platform will allow developers and our customers to make location a core part of their cloud-based applications..." Netherlands-based TomTom already supplies location services and real-time traffic data to many global tech companies. Notably, it has partnered with Apple Maps since 2012 and has also held a contract with Uber since the beginning of 2015.
First of all, the choice of the verb "taps" is misleading. That is not the proper use of "tap". It's not a liquid container nor is it a hole.
Secondly, "Here" is a stupid name for a company. I read that as "Microsoft (uses here) and TomTom...".
Third, "Connected Data" might as well be a company name while we're at it. It's all capitalized.
If you only capitalize the names, it would be much easier to read:
Microsoft taps Here and TomTom to expand into connected data
It would have told us that Here is a company name, even if we never heard about them.
Create a car with a standard platform and OS. Let users decide on the apps.
The fundamental problem here is that a typical car can outlive a technology and an approach to a problem. e.g. TomTom as much as I like them, I worry about their future. Their share price has plummeted and they are running a model of providing a subscription service to what other people already get for free. Unless they can come up with a new business model they won't be around to provide my car with accurate maps in a few years.
We need the flexibility to remove TomTom from our cars in favour of (insert alternative here) when a company goes under or decide to try and act like monopolists by charging ludicrous update fees for maps. We need the ability to upgrade our systems as new technologies and approaches become the norm (e.g. I know someone with a brand new car with up to date maps who still prefers to use his phone and TomTom in this case because they provide better traffic information).
What we need is to stop the vendor lockin.