Driving safely while staying connected

We love to be constantly connected. Thanks to modern technology we can text, check Facebook and find our way around town wherever we are. But in the car, trying to stay online while driving raises major safety issues.

This is why authorities are limiting the use of smartphones while driving.  They are even questioning navigation services designed to ease the driving experience.

How can we then drive safely while staying connected? At HERE, we think that the risk isn’t coming from the information per se, but how we present information to people and enable them to use it.

Connected driving

Indeed, over time drivers have been able to receive more and more information. From sensors about pressure levels to front-mounted radars that detect imminent collisions – more information for the driver now equals more safety. The next evolutionary step is a connected car via smartphones or embedded systems.

At HERE we believe that a connected car is part of creating a holistic connected driving experience that keeps drivers safe yet connected, while allowing them to communicate and enjoy entertainment too. It solves the problems that people face as they move through their daily life, both in and out of their car, helping to save time, fuel and money.

HERE driving experience

On smartphones, HERE Drive is optimized for in-car use. The interface has been designed to use at arm’s length; voice commands are clearer because they have been recorded in studio;destinations can be pinned to start and with just a tap on the destination tile you can start turn-by-turn navigation.

In-car systems with HERE rely on sensors to capture more accurate map data such as road height, slope and curvature. Integrating that detailed map content with the car system makes safety features like adaptive cruise control, adaptive front lights, curve speed warnings, driver alerts and speed limit advisories possible.

“Features like those provided by HERE appeal to a consumer’s desire for fuel efficiency. Landmark navigation has been a need of a significant portion of consumers that connected systems can finally fulfil”, said Chris Schreiner, Director of Automotive Consumer Insights at Strategy Analytics.

 

Human driving

Our aim is to make the driving experience more human and to help drivers make sense of the world around them, whether or not they are in their cars.

The HERE connected driving experience transforms the car into a powerful smart device to help people around the world meet the challenges of driving today such as traffic congestion, pollution and parking.