Dynamic Map Platform Co. Ltd. in Tokyo has agreed to acquire Livonia mapping company Ushr Inc., which will establish a single, enhanced platform for accelerated development and delivery of high-definition mapping solutions for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The transaction was engineered by Ushr’s largest investor, EnerTech Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in energy innovation and technology.
“The agreement announced by Ushr and DMP is the result of a tremendous amount of hard work by all stakeholders involved,” says Scott Ungerer, founder and managing director of EnerTech Capital and chairman of the board of Ushr. “The success we’ve experienced at Ushr since inception in an extremely dynamic and competitive market environment has been rewarding and we look forward with excitement to the next chapter of growth for the combined businesses upon closing.”
Ushr was created in 2017 as a spin off of the automotive mapping business unit of a separate EnerTech portfolio company, GeoDigital, a Canadian company specializing in geospatial mapping services and software. Ushr’s HD map technology was integrated into General Motors Co.’s Super CruiseTM, the industry’s first true hands-free advanced driver assistance system for the highway, and first-to-market in the 2018 Cadillac CT6.
When combined with vehicles equipped with sensors and software enabling autonomous driving, Ushr’s HD maps allow self-driving cars to safely operate on mapped roadways, providing precise lane centering, smooth control through curves, and the ability to anticipate roadway changes.
“The features and functionality that will redefine ‘driving’ in the coming years are being sourced from new providers including young technology companies that may or may not have started life in the auto industry,” says Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of GM and a member of Ushr’s board of directors.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including receipt of regulatory approval.
