Tele Atlas

Tele Atlas is a Dutch digital mapping company founded in 1984. It developed and supplied digital maps, geographic databases, and location-related content for personal navigation devices, in-car navigation systems, mobile applications, Internet mapping services, and public- and private-sector geographic information users. The company became one of the principal independent suppliers of map data to the navigation and mapping industries before being acquired by TomTom. Tele Atlas’s business was based on creating, maintaining, licensing, and enhancing geographic data rather than selling consumer navigation devices directly. Its database covered approximately 200 countries and included road networks, addresses, points of interest, administrative boundaries, traffic-related information, and other map-enhancement content. Customers included manufacturers of automotive navigation equipment, suppliers of portable navigation devices, mobile and Internet companies, and organizations using geographic information for operational or public-service purposes. The company also supplied data to mapping portals whose users might encounter Tele Atlas content without seeing the Tele Atlas name. A major element of its data-collection operation was a fleet of specialized mapping vehicles. These vans used multiple cameras, side-scanning lasers, and GPS equipment to record road imagery and three-dimensional information. The imagery and laser measurements could be combined to model the dimensions and contours of visible surroundings. Tele Atlas described this approach as part of its effort to improve the accuracy and visual detail of digital maps. Three-dimensional representations were introduced in Japan and Western Europe, while the company also pursued wider deployment in North America and other markets. The company expanded its capabilities through acquisitions. In 2000 it purchased Etak from Sony, bringing a United States-based automotive-navigation and mapping business into Tele Atlas’s North American operations. In 2004 it acquired Geographic Data Technology, a New Hampshire digital-map supplier. These transactions strengthened Tele Atlas’s regional data resources, mapping technology, and presence in the North American market. Tele Atlas also developed systems for receiving and processing map corrections. Its Map Insight service allowed consumers to report errors and suggest changes directly to Tele Atlas, rather than routing every issue through the technical-support operations of navigation-device manufacturers. This reflected the growing importance of user feedback in keeping large geographic databases current. The company’s independence ended after a contested takeover in 2007 and 2008. TomTom initially agreed to acquire Tele Atlas for approximately €2 billion, but Garmin subsequently made a higher offer, beginning a bidding contest. TomTom raised its proposal to approximately €2.9 billion. After Garmin withdrew following a separate content arrangement with Navteq, TomTom’s acquisition proceeded. TomTom shareholders approved the transaction in December 2007; European competition authorities cleared it in May 2008, and the deal closed in 2008. Tele Atlas has since operated as a wholly owned TomTom subsidiary and as a source of map content within the broader TomTom location-technology business. Tele Atlas also had an important relationship with Google Maps. In 2008 it announced a five-year agreement to continue supplying Google with map data, with provisions allowing Tele Atlas to receive corrections generated by the Google Maps community. Google later reduced its reliance on Tele Atlas in the United States and increasingly developed its own mapping data and user-feedback systems. The shift illustrated the strategic pressure faced by independent map suppliers as large Internet and technology companies built proprietary geographic databases. Today, Tele Atlas is best understood as a TomTom-owned mapping-data business and historical brand…

Tele Atlas was established in the Netherlands in 1984 as a specialist in digital geographic information. Its development coincided with the emergence of computerized navigation and the increasing use of digital maps in transport, telecommunications, public administration, and consumer software. Rather than operating primarily as a consumer-device manufacturer, Tele Atlas built a business around collecting, structuring, updating, and licensing geographic data to companies that integrated that content into navigation products and mapping services. The company’s data portfolio expanded beyond basic road geometry. It included addresses, points of interest, administrative information, and other map-enhancement products used to make navigation databases more useful to drivers and location-service users. Tele Atlas supplied customers in the automotive, portable-navigation, mobile, Internet, public, and private sectors. Its coverage eventually extended to roughly 200 countries, although the depth and type of data varied by market and by product. Tele Atlas strengthened its international operations through acquisitions. In May 2000 it acquired Etak from Sony. Etak had developed automotive-navigation equipment, digital maps, and mapping software in the United States, and its operations were subsequently incorporated into Tele Atlas North America. On 29 April 2004, Tele Atlas acquired Geographic Data Technology, a New Hampshire-based digital-map supplier. The acquisitions gave Tele Atlas additional technical capabilities, regional data, and relationships in the North American market. Maintaining a global map database required continuous field collection and correction. Tele Atlas used mapping vans equipped with cameras, lasers, and GPS devices to gather road imagery and three-dimensional measurements. The vehicles recorded visual information while traveling and used scanning equipment to measure the width, height, and contours of reflective surfaces. These observations could be processed into three-dimensional representations of roads and their surroundings. The company reported that such representations were available in Japan and Western Europe and were being developed for broader use, including North America. Tele Atlas also created Map Insight, a consumer-facing error-reporting and change-submission system. It allowed users to report map problems directly to the mapping company, sometimes through links placed on the support pages of products using Tele Atlas data. The system was intended to improve the flow of corrections and reduce the burden on navigation-device manufacturers’ technical-support teams. User feedback became increasingly important as roads, addresses, businesses, and traffic conditions changed faster than traditional periodic map updates could accommodate. The most consequential event in Tele Atlas’s corporate history was its acquisition by TomTom. In July 2007, Tele Atlas’s board accepted TomTom’s offer of approximately €2 billion. Garmin then made a competing offer of about €2.3 billion in October, creating a bidding battle between two major navigation-device companies. TomTom responded by raising its proposal to approximately €2.9 billion, which the Tele Atlas board again supported. Garmin was expected to continue competing, particularly because Nokia was pursuing Navteq, Tele Atlas’s principal global rival. Garmin ultimately withdrew after reaching a content agreement with Navteq through 2015. TomTom shareholders approved the transaction in December 2007. European competition authorities cleared the deal in May 2008, and the acquisition closed in 2008. Tele Atlas became a wholly owned TomTom subsidiary. Before and during this takeover period, Tele Atlas remained an important supplier to Internet mapping services. In June 2008 it announced a five-year continuation agreement with Google Maps. The arrangement included access to corrections and updates generated by the Google Maps community. However, Google later moved toward greater control of its own mapping resources. In October 2009 it stopped using Tele Atlas maps in the United States, and Google’s subsequent launch of free turn-by-turn navigation on Android increased competitive pressure on traditional navigation businesses. As a TomTom-owned operation, Tele Atlas is associated with the map-data and location-content foundation of TomTom’s navigation and location-technology activities. Its historical importance lies in helping establish commercial digital mapping as a specialized data industry, supplying the geographic infrastructure used by navigation devices, online maps, and location-based applications.

• 2009

  Google reduces United States reliance on Tele Atlas data

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  Google stopped using Tele Atlas maps in the United States and pursued more internally controlled mapping and feedback systems.

• 2008

  TomTom completes acquisition

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition received European competition clearance and closed in 2008, making Tele Atlas a wholly owned TomTom subsidiary.

• 2008

  Google Maps supply agreement continues

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  Tele Atlas announced a five-year agreement to continue supplying map data to Google Maps.

• 2007

  TomTom announces acquisition offer

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  Tele Atlas accepted TomTom’s initial acquisition proposal, valued at approximately €2 billion.

• 2007

  Garmin launches competing bid

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  Garmin offered approximately €2.3 billion for Tele Atlas, prompting a takeover contest.

• 2007

  TomTom raises its offer

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  TomTom increased its offer to approximately €2.9 billion after Garmin’s competing proposal.

• 2004

  Acquisition of Geographic Data Technology

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  Tele Atlas acquired Geographic Data Technology, expanding its North American digital-map resources.

• 2000

  Acquisition of Etak

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  Tele Atlas acquired Etak from Sony and incorporated the United States navigation and mapping business into Tele Atlas North America.

• 1984

  Tele Atlas is founded

  [1]Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org

  Tele Atlas was established in the Netherlands as a digital mapping and geographic-data company.

A global business-to-business provider of digital maps and location content for navigation systems, online mapping, mobile applications, and geographic-information users.

• Digital mapping data

  Digital road maps

  Tele Atlas’s core offering was a structured digital representation of roads and transport networks used in personal navigation, automotive navigation, mobile applications, online mapping, and geographic-information systems. The company assembled coverage across approximately 200 countries and maintained the data through field collection, partner sources, automated processing, and reported corrections.

• Location content

  Map Enhancement Products

  Map Enhancement Products added context to the underlying road network. They included points of interest, address points, and related geographic attributes that helped navigation systems locate destinations, calculate routes, and present useful information to drivers and other location-service users.

• Map quality and feedback service

  Tele Atlas Map Insight

  Map Insight was Tele Atlas’s consumer map-feedback and change-reporting system. It enabled end users to submit reports about errors or changes directly to Tele Atlas, helping the company update its database and reducing the need for navigation-device manufacturers to handle every map correction through their own support channels.

• Three-dimensional geographic data

  Three-dimensional map data

  Tele Atlas used camera imagery, laser scanning, and GPS measurements collected by mapping vans to create three-dimensional representations of roads and surrounding structures. The technology was intended to support richer navigation experiences and more detailed depictions of the physical environment.

• 2009

  Google shifts toward internally controlled United States map dataStrategy

  Background

  Large Internet platforms were increasingly developing proprietary geographic databases and user-feedback systems, reducing their dependence on external map suppliers.

  Action taken

  Google discontinued using Tele Atlas maps in the United States and began collecting map feedback for its own use.

  Aftermath

  The change highlighted the competitive pressure on independent map-data vendors as major technology companies expanded their own mapping capabilities.

  Source

• 2008

  Continue supplying Google MapsStrategy

  Background

  Internet mapping services were becoming an important distribution channel for commercial map suppliers, and Tele Atlas competed with Navteq for platform customers.

  Action taken

  Tele Atlas announced a five-year agreement to continue providing map data to Google Maps and to receive certain corrections and updates generated by the Google Maps community.

  Aftermath

  Google later reduced its use of Tele Atlas data in the United States and moved toward more internally controlled mapping resources.

  Source

• 2007

  Tele Atlas accepts TomTom’s acquisition proposalM&A

  Background

  Tele Atlas was an important independent supplier of navigation map data, while TomTom and Garmin were competing navigation-device manufacturers seeking control of strategic map content.

  Action taken

  Tele Atlas’s board accepted TomTom’s initial offer of approximately €2 billion. Garmin later submitted a higher competing proposal, after which TomTom increased its offer to approximately €2.9 billion.

  Aftermath

  Garmin withdrew after reaching a separate content agreement with Navteq. TomTom’s shareholders approved the transaction, European competition authorities cleared it, and the acquisition closed in 2008.

  Acquisition offer value. Approximately €2 billion initial TomTom offer → Approximately €2.9 billion revised TomTom offer (2007)

  • Garmin — Garmin made a competing offer of approximately €2.3 billion and later withdrew after securing a content agreement with Navteq.

  Source

1. 1Tele Atlasen.wikipedia.org