Toyota embraces Nokia HERE for next-gen navigation system

Nokia has won another bout in its everlasting battle with Google. Only this time the stage was not the smartphone platform but maps. In a major victory, Toyota has adopted Nokia’s HERE for its next-gen navigation system over Google’s Local Search in Europe.

An ecstatic Nokia announced in a press release that Toyota Motor Europe has joined hands with it to bring new local search tech to its next gen ‘Touch & Go’ navigation system. Nokia claims that Toyota drivers will have easy online access to high-quality industry mapping information and community-generated content including ratings, reviews and images fed directly into their cars by leveraging Nokia Local Search for Automotive.

Nokia has helped with supplying content to Toyota through automotive-grade maps and reference data in the past. Toyota is now planning to make Nokia HERE an integral part of its vehicles in Europe, Russia and the Middle East. It isn’t bound to happen anytime soon though, with the Japanese car giant setting the date for this integration to early 2014.

Arriving evereywhere as well as Here

Currently, Toyota has been out showcasing its Verso DPL that ships with Google Local Search, Maps and Points of Interest. "In the current navigation systems we have Google Local search which will be complemented by Nokia Places from 2014," explained a Toyota spokesperson.

Nokia also announced that it will be collaborating further with Toyota to study how HERE’s navigational potential can be furthered. "Nokia and Toyota share the same vision of what the in-vehicle location experience should be - immersive, always on. Today's announcement underlines Nokia's commitment to providing fresh content and services to the auto industry so it can deliver innovative consumer solutions," said Eric Fumat, Vice President Sales & Business Development, EMEA, Nokia Location & Commerce.

Nokia announced the rebranded avatar of the mapping service HERE, formerly known as Drive, in November last year. While the service more or less remained the same, Nokia added new features like collections, 3D maps and a maps editor to it to make the refurbished service look more attractive.

Collections lets you save locations you search for through the mapping service to your Nokia account. This allows you to quickly access the saved locations instead of having to search for them again. This also allows you to quickly access your locations from other devices by logging into your Nokia account.

3D maps lets you get a 3D view of key locations around the world. Comparisons can be drawn with Apple's own 3D maps service, called Flyover, as the provider of the data is the same for both the services – C3 Technologies. The maps editor lets users update street names and traffic information. The information will then be available to other users of the mapping service.

Post acquiring Earthmine, the mapping company that brings street view functionality to it, the Finnish giant is in works on releasing its own version of Street View.

Even when there are questions being raised about Nokia’s relevance in the smartphone industry, there is no doubt that surely but steadily the company is gaining ground in the mapping world, even with giants like Google Maps and Apple Maps threatening to overshadow  it.