Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is the latest car manufacturer to incorporate the geocoding company what3words into its cars and SUVs The company said on Thursday that it would add voice activated what3words to its new and used cars It is reported that the system divides the world into a grid, and then provides three random word addresses for each 100 square foot area.
The introduction of this system means that about 350000 vehicles will have this system. Even if there is no data connection, the driver can use the system to navigate to any precise location around the world.
Navigation systems are becoming a key differentiator for automotive companies. So far this year, at least eight automakers including Ford, Mercedes Benz and Lamborghini have integrated what3words technology into their vehicles.
JLR is the first company to provide this technology to vehicles already on the road through Ota. The cooperation with JLR is carried out through the cooperation between what3words and here technologies. In 2020, the two companies cooperated to allow OEMs using the here navigation platform to use what3words as the in car navigation function directly through the here Search API.
The announcement is the latest example of how automotive infotainment systems have become a battleground for technology companies.
Apple on Monday announced an update to its next generation Carplay system, which will power the entire dashboard of the vehicle. Its display will override the navigation and infotainment functions to provide information on vehicle speed, climate control and other diagnostics. Last month, Google announced an upgrade to Android auto, which allows split screen display to accommodate a larger screen.
What3words assigns a unique combination of three words to the 57 trillion 10 foot X10 foot earth squares. It is more accurate than traditional voice navigation systems, which often provide a list of the most likely matches rather than a precise destination. For example, a driver who needs to go to 23 Park Avenue in New York can say "take me to sugar.laptop.sheet" and let the system bypass the other 450 streets called "Park" in New York.
However, security researchers expressed concern about the reliability of the system. They found that voice commands may lead the system to a different place where three words sound similar.
What3words and other advanced navigation systems will also serve as stepping stones for the ultimate autonomous vehicle to navigate to precisely pre programmed destinations. Here's end-to-end system is responsible for providing real-time traffic data, turning guidance and information on finding roadside and off-road parking spaces.