ADMT, a subsidiary of the well-known automaker Volkswagen that develops autonomous cars, has signed a partnership with Hivemapper. The latter company has a mapping network based on of the Solana blockchain called Bee Maps.
This will allow the Volkswagen ADMT test fleet of robotaxis to move from static to dynamic mapping. This means that data will be received in real time, which is critical for robotaxis that need up-to-date information for efficient navigation.
Bee Maps aggregates images based on Bee DVRs installed by drivers. The uploaded videos are then transformed by a machine learning model into lane markings, signage, and temporary work zones. Participants in this network receive HONEY tokens for each confirmed segment. Hivemapper claims that this provides the most up-to-date mapping data in the world.
Bee Maps sells the data through APIs that power routing and localization systems used by logistics firms. And now by robotics developers.
Volkswagen ADMT currently has about 30 ID.Buzz autonomous electric minivans running on the streets of Hamburg. The company plans to send thousands of robotaxis to Los Angeles in partnership with Uber. This expansion is aimed at a fully self-driving service by the end of 2026. Each car relies on a sensor array that includes 13 cameras and nine lidars that generate approximately five gigabytes of data per second. However, navigation still requires external maps to localize in adverse conditions such as rain, sun glare, or fresh construction.
If you’re interested: Hivemapper Bee video recorder – LTE and WiFi is not cheap: $589. The HONEY token is currently worth $0.01822.
Source: Bee Maps