Here Technologies (stylized and trade name as HERE and here) is an AmericanDutch multinational group specialized in mapping technologies, location data and related automotive services to individuals and companies. It is majority-owned by a consortium (an association, typically of several companies) of German automotive companies (namely Audi, BMW, the Mercedes-Benz Group) and American semiconductor company Intel whilst other companies also own minority stakes. Its roots date back to U.S.-based Navteq in 1985, which was acquired by Finland-based Nokia in 2007. Here is currently based in The Netherlands.
Here captures location content such as road networks, buildings, parks and traffic patterns. It then sells or licenses that mapping content, along with map related navigation and location services to other businesses such as Alpine Electronics, Garmin, BMW, Oracle Corporation and Amazon.com. This third-party licensing constitutes the core of the firm's business. In addition, Here provides platform services to smartphones. It provides location services through its HERE applications, and also for GIS and government clients and other providers, such as Microsoft Bing (from 2012 through 2020), Meta Platforms, Yahoo! Maps, and the Samsung Gear S2 (and earlier models) maps app. HERE has maps of about 200 countries, offers voice guided navigation in 94 countries, provides live traffic information in 33 countries and has indoor maps available for about 49,000 unique buildings in 45 countries. The company is also working on self-driving technology.
Here has built its mapping and location business by acquiring location technology; the company is a combination of what was formerly Navteq and Nokia Maps.
Navteq
Navteq was an American company founded in 1985 as Karlin & Collins, Inc., later known as Navigation Technologies Corporation and eventually as Navteq. At the time of its acquisition by Nokia, Navteq was the largest maker of automotive-grade map data used in car navigation equipment.