Omdia: HERE sets the benchmark for the industry

HERE has been crowned 2024’s top location platform by Omdia, achieving an impressive score of 8.14, marking a notable improvement of 0.19 from last year.

Omdia’s Location Platform Index evaluates vendors annually on two main criteria: platform completeness and market reach. It also considers services, data and capabilities that the platform opens up to developers.

The latest score, out of a total of 10, places HERE first among the group of industry giants, ahead of Google, TomTom and Mapbox.

“HERE sets the benchmark for the industry,” said John Canali, Principal Analyst at Omdia.

Shaping the future direction

A key factor in HERE’s strengthened position is its innovative approach to software-defined vehicles (SDVs). 

At the core of this strategy is HERE Unimap, a foundational layer designed to act as the base for other systems and enhance the overall user experience. This isn’t just any map, but a “live” automotive-grade map enriched with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities.

“HERE is making a bold statement with its unified map strategy and how it integrates into vehicle architecture,” said Canali. “This approach has the potential to provide OEMs—many of whom are facing significant challenges—a strong and reliable platform for their systems.”

His colleague, Shobhit Srivastava, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia, agreed: “There are many solutions on the market, but when OEMs try to integrate them for an actual rollout, they need a partner that provides an integration layer—a foundation for in-car services like ADAS (advanced driving assistance systems) and connectivity. Live maps are crucial here. By partnering with a leading automotive mapping vendor, OEMs can simplify integration, reduce complexity and accelerate time to market.”

Leveling up AI

HERE also increased its daily ingestion of basic probe points from over 33 billion to 35 billion in the past year—far surpassing the competition. By harnessing this immense data stream, HERE was able to introduce UniMap in 2023.

“When we talk to players across the segment, it’s clear that map-making is hard,” said Srivastava. “AI is a powerful tool that simplifies this process by integrating diverse data sources—ranging from car sensors and government data to live satellite imagery—into a cohesive live map. In the context of live maps, AI becomes increasingly critical because it enables faster updates with minimal human intervention.

The index also highlights that “at the high end of the market, the HERE HD Live Map for highly automated driving powers Level 3 autonomous driving systems from Mercedes-Benz and BMW. While the volume of the vehicles with L3 autonomous systems is low, these wins confer a halo on HERE’s map quality.”

Canali added: “As good as they already are, these AI models will require even more data for us to reach the point where fully autonomous driving becomes a reality.”

All eyes on ISA

As of July, intelligent speed assistance (ISA) has become mandatory for all newly registered vehicles in the European Union (EU). Not only does Omdia believe that HERE excelled in helping OEMs comply with this year’s regulations, but they also improved the driver experience.

“ISA is important for ADAS-level and autonomous driving because it provides live speed limits.” said Srivastava. “This ensures that the car knows when speed limits change in a given area. As cars become more software-defined, users expect the most up-to-date information in their vehicles, and that’s exactly what HERE delivers in terms of location data.”

He continued: “Even before ISA became mandatory, HERE was already providing the solution. This is just one example of HERE's dominance in the location sector and the strong vision it has for the future of this industry.”