Atlatec uses GPS antennas and dual cameras to capture data to generate 3D maps for autonomous driving

German digital map company Atlatec has developed a briefcase-sized device that can be mounted on a car roof. Its goal is to use data captured by a GPS antenna and dual cameras to generate advanced 3D maps that can be used for autonomous vehicles.

(Image source: Atlatec)

Despite the fierce competition in the 3D mapping field, Atlatec does not use lidar and has chosen to make its demo maps and data public. "We publish datasets in a range of formats that people can download from our website, input their technology, and then do real-world testing," said Henning Lategahn, CEO of Atlatec. "There are not many datasets on the market that contain such accurate and rich maps, and we thought it was a good idea to share them."

Tom Dahlström, business development manager at Atlatec, said, "In the Bay Area, we not only have a lot of customers, but also a lot of potential competitors. Some companies build their own maps, and we have to innovate." Atlatec's competitors include Lyft's Lyft Level 5 and Deepmap. Lyft Level 5 also does not use lidar, but uses data from its shared fleet to generate 3D maps.

Lategahn said lidar is unnecessary and the fidelity of Atlatec's 3D maps is much higher. "The camera is the core, it contains a lot of data, and there is a lot more data in the image than in the lidar scan. And we found a way to exploit that."

The process uses AI to help extract what Lategahn calls "objects," such as traffic signs, to determine their existence and exact location. This information and other captured data is fed into a computer, which generates a map that Lategahn calls "very good, but not perfect." Next, human annotators will go through the data set and correct any errors.

Finally, detailed 3D maps can be produced at a fraction of the cost of lidar. According to Lategahn, Atlatec can manufacture many devices per year for just a few thousand dollars. In contrast, the material costs of traditional 3D mapping companies range from $300,000 to $1 million.