From Maps to Mission Control: Inside HERE’s Strategy for EVs, L2+ Automation and the SDV Era

As navigation evolves from static maps to a “mission control” layer for electric vehicles, Level 2+ (L2+) driver assistance and software‑defined vehicles, HERE Technologies is rebuilding location intelligence from the ground up. SVP Remco Timmer explains how an AI‑powered assistant, a unified cloud-based map, and navigation that is aware of both EV constraints and an operational design domain (ODD) are helping global—and increasingly Chinese—OEMs accelerate development, de‑risk automation and differentiate the in‑car experience without tearing up existing IVI roadmaps.

HERE Technologies won the Innovation and Business Expansion awards in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards.

Just Auto (JA): What do the Innovation and Business Expansion awards validate about HERE’s strategy for the software-defined vehicle era?

Remco Timmer: These awards affirm HERE’s progress in delivering AI-powered location intelligence and partner network relevant in the software-defined vehicle era, enabling next-generation in-vehicle user experiences, accelerated development cycles and scalable connected, automated and EV-ready capabilities worldwide.

JA: What design choices make the HERE AI Assistant reliably interpret complex, location-based intents inside the vehicle, beyond a generic voice interface?

Remco Timmer: HERE AI Assistant ensures reliable interpretation of complex, location-based queries through multi-LLM architecture, real-time contextual awareness, and integration with HERE Location Services and map content. It combines natural language processing, predictive reasoning, and edge-cloud deployment for customised, personalized, adaptive, and safe in-vehicle navigation experiences. The multi-LLM architecture allows OEMs to select the LLM of their choice, while allowing for lower total cost of ownership.

JA: How are OEMs integrating the HERE AI Assistant via HERE Navigation and the HERE SDK without disrupting existing IVI roadmaps and UX strategies?

Remco Timmer: OEMs will be able to integrate HERE AI Assistant through modular APIs in HERE Navigation and HERE SDK, leveraging hybrid multi-LLM architecture and cloud and or edge deployment. Also, we can connect to the HERE AI assistant orchestration layer, to be sure we take those queries that rely on location intelligence most effectively. This approach preserves customer specific IVI roadmaps and UX strategies by enabling brand customization, minimal code changes, and seamless lifecycle updates.

JA: Which signals and models have proven most material for accurate EV range estimation and charge planning at scale?

Remco Timmer: Theoretical range in a dashboard doesn’t mean much to drivers – they care about real-world reach. We typically display that on the map, making it clear how far you can go in any direction, including return journeys. Accurate on-route range estimation depends on several key factors, including elevation, speed, temperature and traffic conditions. On top of this, we enable our OEM partners to integrate vehicle-specific consumption models that account for trim-level differences – because even variations in wheels and body panels can significantly impact efficiency. And lastly, we embed AI models that learn specific driver behavior, such as acceleration and braking patterns, and factor that into range predictions as well. By combining these strategies, we consistently deliver the most accurate on-route range estimates, providing great value to both new and experienced EV drivers.

JA: Where have customers seen the largest efficiency gains from SceneXtract in ADAS/AD validation workflows?

Remco Timmer: Customers report the largest efficiency gains in being able to rapidly generate high-volume, highly realistic simulation environments in the training and validation of their ADAS/AD systems. With fully automated scene identification and creation, what used to take weeks can now be done in minutes, dramatically accelerating simulation readiness and improving validation accuracy. In addition, NLP-driven search, OpenDrive export, and HERE HD Live Map enable scalable workflows, cutting costs and boosting ADAS/AD development speed.

JA: Why prioritize OpenDrive export, and how are teams using HERE HD Live Map fidelity to test edge cases like complex intersections and highway transitions?

Remco Timmer: OpenDrive export is prioritized for interoperability with simulation platforms and standardized scenario generation. Teams are leveraging HERE HD Live Map’s lane-level fidelity to generate these complex scenarios which include intersections, merges, and highway transitions, enabling robust edge-case validation and improving automated driving safety and performance.

JA: What did AWS services such as Bedrock and OpenSearch enable in terms of SceneXtract’s scalability and precision?

Remco Timmer: AWS Bedrock and OpenSearch power SceneXtract's scalability and precision by enabling NLP-driven semantic search and generative AI workflows to identify and extract map location or scenes. This combination accelerates map data retrieval, ensures accurate scene generation, prevents hallucinations, and supports large-scale ADAS/AD validation across diverse and complex environments.

JA: How does HERE’s unified, cloud-based mapping architecture support OTA updates, data freshness, and regional compliance at global scale?

Remco Timmer: HERE’s unified, cloud-based mapping architecture enables seamless OTA updates and near-real-time data freshness. Highly automated mapmaking, leveraging vehicle sensor data, hundreds of additional sources, and AI-driven validation, ensures accuracy and consistency. A unified map data model and many map delivery formats ensure regional compliance, scalability, and consistent accuracy across SD, HD, and ADAS layers.

JA: How do you source, validate, and deliver speed-limit data (e.g., via Horizon Data Online) to ensure ISA consistency for partners?

Remco Timmer: HERE extracts speed-limit data from many sources, including vehicle sensor data, probe sensors, local authorities, third-party feeds and additional sources. No single source is sufficient on its own; delivering reliable ISA data relies on some of the most advanced mapmaking capabilities. Validation is performed through AI-driven quality checks and compliance indicators. Horizon Data Online, one of our delivery modes, delivers lightweight, cloud-calculated electronic horizons, ensuring ISA consistency, minimal in-vehicle storage and processing capacity, while maintaining regulatory adherence globally. All this makes HERE the preferred choice for OEMs implementing ISA solutions.

JA: What did HERE need to get right—technically and operationally—to support Chinese OEMs’ international programs that now represent a large share of export volumes?

Remco Timmer: First and foremost, we needed to provide the best map and software capable of serving the various use-cases Chinese OEMs target – from navigation to ADAS and AD along the various SAE levels. It is equally critical that we have a strong local Chinese team working closely with these OEMs in addition to a strong global network of local experts to consult on how to deploy these use-cases most effectively in each target market. Our delivery models also need to be flexible enough to align with the diverse ways that Chinese OEMs and their partners go to market. Finally, a responsive, strong support organization is essential. Being able to work side by side with our customers as we implement together is critical to their success and ours.

JA: How have collaborations like Lotus Robotics (L2+ Highway Navigation Pilot) and ECARX (next-gen navigation) shaped joint roadmaps and commercialization models?

Remco Timmer: L2+ and L2++ use cases are probably some of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas to serve. At the same time, they introduce new design considerations: increasingly capable sensors, more compute and more advanced AI models that need to be trained, validated and deployed. With the market rapidly moving toward Navigation on Autopilot, the link between the Navigation system has become critical as well. You need an operational design domain (ODD) aware navigation system and a route-aware ADAS system. I believe our customers value the work we put in to delivering a unified map that serves both domains. Collaborating closely with leaders like Lotus Robotics and ECARX,  provides us with great insights informing our map and software roadmaps.

JA: Looking at recent programs—AFEELA, Togg, Dacia, Lotus—what common requirements emerged, and where did they push you to extend configurability or performance?

Remco Timmer: Several common requirements emerged across AFEELA, Togg, Dacia, and Lotus. Each OEM demanded high configurability, as they want to fully own the UX and deliver unique and differentiated solutions. They also required OTA-enabled and map streaming-enabled freshness so that software and map are always up to date. EV-optimized routing and maximum immersive UX were also essential, along with the ability to run reliably on the very varied compute that is available across these programs. These programs pushed us further to extend the flexibility of HERE Navigation, SaaS delivery, and performance in areas such as visualization, multi-stop EV routing, ISA compliance, and scalable digital cockpit deployments across global markets. While each of these brands has distinct requirements in terms of hardware, data footprints, and regional requirements, they all rely on HERE Navigation for their digital cockpits, demonstrating the high configurability that HERE offers.

JA: Which post-SOP metrics best demonstrate ongoing value to OEMs—such as uptime, data freshness, OTA cadence, or user engagement—and how are they operationalized?

Remco Timmer: Arguably the most important metric is User Analytics – understanding how often Navigation and ADAS systems support the driver and how effectively they do so. We take a deeply user analytics-driven approach to software development and roadmap prioritization, working closely with our customers to align improvements with real user behavior. Post-SOP value shows up in metrics such as uptime (99.99%+), near-real-time data freshness, and OTA update cadence. These are operationalized through automated monitoring dashboards, telematics-driven feedback loops, lifecycle assurance frameworks, and structured KPIs embedded within customer success and compliance processes. User engagement can be monitored in real time through the HERE Navigation Portal, enabling OEMs to quickly turn insights into actions—releasing OTA updates, refining features, and continuously optimizing the IVI experience fit for the SDV era.

JA: As generative AI becomes more common in the cockpit, how do you mitigate issues like hallucinations and inconsistent responses while maintaining speed, accuracy, and driver focus?

Remco Timmer: Avoiding hallucinations is especially critical in the cockpit. Drivers must never be guided to places or roads that don’t exist. Our HERE AI assistant demonstrates that the key is grounding GenAI in factual data and services on our HERE platform. GenAI enhances the entire HMI by making interactions more natural, intuitive, and less distracting during driving. At the same time, the tight integration with HERE Location Services and map content guarantees factual answers. Our AI assistant can also persist the context of the journey, enabling drivers to make adjustments along the route and react to events that happen while traveling. This combination of contextual awareness, grounded data and natural interaction maintains speed, accuracy, and driver focus.

JA: Remco, thank you for unpacking how HERE is turning maps into a genuine mission-control layer for EVs and assisted driving. Your focus on grounding generative AI in authoritative map data, and on using one configurable platform for both IVI and L2+ functions, speaks directly to the challenges our readership is facing in the SDV transition. We’ll be interestingly watching how your collaborations with OEMs translate into the next wave of in‑car innovation.

"From Maps to Mission Control: Inside HERE’s Strategy for EVs, L2+ Automation and the SDV Era" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.

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