Bosch acquires Atlatec to bolster autonomous driving portfolio

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Atlatec’s maps include information such as traffic signs, and structural features like streetcar tracks. | Source: Bosch

Bosch has acquired Atlatec, a company that creates high-resolution 3D maps for Level 3 and 4 autonomous driving. Bosch said the acquisition makes it a one-stop-shop for the building block of automated driving.

Atlatec will be part of Bosch’s Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division and will act as an independently operated company. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

“The planned acquisition of Atlatec further expands our expertise in the field of high-resolution digital maps and makes us even more diversified. It makes Bosch the only company that can offer its customers all the necessary building blocks of automated driving – from actuators and sensors to software and maps – from a single source. We are thus consistently expanding our strong position in this area,” Dr. Mathias Pillin, president of the Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division, said.

Atlatec’s portfolio includes data recording and processing hardware, software and a sensor box and for developing 3D maps for simulations and autonomous driving. The company uses data collected from its radar, video, and ultrasonic technology and additional information such as traffic signs and the sharpness of bends to train its artificial intelligence algorithms.

Bosch provides actuators, sensors and software for autonomous driving. The addition of Atlatec’s mapping technology further diversifies Bosch’s autonomous driving capabilities.

Bosch has been taking a two-pronged approach to developing autonomous driving technology. The company is working on driver assistance and partially automated systems for private vehicles, while also working on higher levels of automation. For example, the company has developed automated valet parking.

“In Bosch, we have found the right partner for us as we take the next step in expanding our digital mapping expertise even further,” Dr. Henning Lategahn, CEO of Atlatec, said.

Atlatec began in 2014, as a spin out from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The company is based in Karlsruhe, Germany, and operates research and development projects and offices in the United States and Japan. Its customers include Hyundai, Ford, BNW and Volkswagen.