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Tele Atlas
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{{Short description|Dutch mapping company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox company | name = Tele Atlas NV | logo = Tele Atlas.svg | logo_size = 110px | type = [[Subsidiary|Wholly owned subsidiary]] | foundation = 1984 | location = [['s-Hertogenbosch]], Netherlands (corporate)<br />[[Ghent]], Belgium (operational) | industry = [[Geographic information system]]s | products = Digital mapping data | revenue = [[Euro|€]]308.0 [[million]] (2007)<ref name="AR2007">{{Cite web |url=http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/TOMTOM/608648615x0x210266/34b0005c-e658-4df2-8a3e-d0901bab192f/TomTom070308%20-%20proformasb.pdf |access-date=2009-04-07 |title=Unaudited pro forma combined income statement for the year ended 31 December 2007 |publisher=Tele Atlas}}</ref> | operating_income = {{profit}} €25.0 million (2007)<ref name="AR2007" /> | net_income = {{profit}} €24.4 million (2007)<ref name="AR2007" /> | num_employees = 1,889 (2007)<ref name="AR2007" /><ref>According to [[TomTom]] (see [http://investors.tomtom.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=367174 this company press release], it spent €16 million in [[restructuring]] charges as a result of the Tele Atlas acquisition.</ref><ref>TomTom announced cuts of "around 100 jobs" in January 2009, according to [https://archive.today/20120909084122/http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/20628/tomtom-cuts-7percent-115-staff.phtml this article] from pocket-lint.com</ref> | parent = [[TomTom]] | homepage = {{URL|tomtom.com}} }} '''Tele Atlas''' is a Netherlands-based company founded in 1984 which delivers digital maps and other dynamic content for navigation and [[location-based service]]s, including personal and [[Automotive navigation system|in-car navigation]] systems, and provides data used in a wide range of mobile and [[Web mapping|Internet map]] applications. Since 30 July 2008, the company has been a wholly owned [[subsidiary]] of [[automotive navigation system]] manufacturer [[TomTom]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/06/27/afx5160878.html |title=TomTom holds 99.29 pct stake of Tele Atlas; Tele Atlas listing to end July 30 |agency=[[Thomson Financial|Thomson Financial News]] |work=[[Forbes]] |date=27 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603095408/http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2008/06/27/afx5160878.html|archive-date=3 June 2011 }}</ref> ==Operations== The company provides maps, some sourced from other mapping companies, covering two hundred countries around the world,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tomtom.com/lib/doc/licensing/MC.EN.pdf|access-date=2018-06-05 |title=Maps & enhanced content|publisher=TomTom}}</ref> providing mapping data and "Map Enhancement Products" such as [[point of interest|points of interest]] and address points. Clients of Tele Atlas include makers of [[automotive navigation system]]s as well as mobile and internet companies which provide mapping services. The firm also supplies data to clients in the [[Public sector|public]] and [[private sector]]s who rely on geographic information. ==Mapping vans== [[File:Tele Atlas mapping van left side.jpg|thumb|300px|Mapper van with cameras visible on the top of the vehicle and the hard drives cabinet in the customized rear seat.]] The company keeps its data up-to-date in part through a fleet of dozens of mapping vans equipped with "six cameras, two side-sweeping lasers and a [[GPS navigation device]]."<ref name="cnn120809">[http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/12/digital.mapping/index.html Mapping the world, one street at a time], a 12 August 2009 [[CNN]] article</ref> The vans capture about three photos per second while traveling at normal speeds, resulting in more than 100 million images per year from each van; the images are stored on one of two [[hard disk drive]]s within a metal cabinet inside the van, drives that hold about [[fortnight|two weeks]] of data.<ref name="cnn120809"/> Meanwhile, the [[3D scanner|3-D scanning]] lasers record the width, height and contours of the first reflective surface they encounter, producing data that when combined with the images create a three-dimension representation.<ref name="cnn120809"/> Three-dimension representations are already available in Japan and Western Europe; employees at the company's U.S. headquarters in [[Lebanon, New Hampshire]], near [[Dartmouth College]], expected in August 2009 that by the beginning of 2011, devices based on Tele Atlas data would be able to depict the surroundings in photo-realistic detail.<ref name="cnn120809"/> ==Map error handling== Map errors are handled using Tele Atlas Map Insight, described as "our consumer map feedback and change reporting system".{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} The idea is to let end users report errors directly to Tele Atlas, not via the technical support of the manufacturers of products using Tele Atlas maps, and thereby reducing support costs. Map errors are reported using the Tele Atlas Map Insight map feedback web page,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mapinsight.teleatlas.com/|access-date=2010-10-09|title=Tele Atlas Map Insight|publisher=Tele Atlas}}</ref> to which there can be links from the supports pages of the products. Company is provided the 25% quality in their geospatial database. ==Acquisitions== ===Etak=== In May 2000, Tele Atlas acquired [[Etak (automotive navigation systems)|Etak, Inc.]], a United States–based vendor of automotive navigation system equipment, digital maps, and mapping software, from [[Sony]] Corporation, which became Tele Atlas North America. Etak, Inc. ceased to exist as a separate company soon after.<ref>{{Citation |title = Tele Atlas Acquires US-Based Mapping Company ETAK from Sony Corp of America |newspaper = Directions Magazine |date = 2000-04-19 |url = http://www.directionsmag.com/pressreleases/tele-atlas-acquires-us-based-mapping-company-etak-from-sony-corp-of-america/97605 |access-date = 2013-01-17 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013553/http://www.directionsmag.com/pressreleases/tele-atlas-acquires-us-based-mapping-company-etak-from-sony-corp-of-america/97605 |archive-date = 2016-03-05 }}</ref> ===GDT=== On 29 April, 2004, Tele Atlas acquired GDT (Geographic Data Technology, Inc.), a digital map supplier in [[New Hampshire]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/telecom05/papers/tele-atlas.pdf | title=Tele Atlas The living reference in digital mapping | access-date=August 9, 2024 }}</ref> ===TomTom=== On 23 July 2007, a €2 [[1000000000 (number)|billion]] offer for the company by navigation system maker [[TomTom]] was accepted by the Tele Atlas board.<ref>{{cite news | last = Kanner | first = Joram | author2=van de Hoef, Marcel | title = TomTom Agrees to Acquire Tele Atlas for EU2 Billion | publisher = [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] | date = 2007-07-23 | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=agT1Po33faG4&refer=home | access-date = 2007-07-23}}</ref> This was then trumped by a €2.3 billion offer from US-based rival [[Garmin]] on 31 October 2007 initiating a bidding war for Tele Atlas.<ref>{{cite news | title = Garmin Trumps TomTom Bid for Tele Atlas | publisher = [[Reuters]] | date = 2007-10-31 | url = https://www.cnbc.com/2007/10/31/garmin-trumps-tomtom-bid-for-tele-atlas.html | access-date = 2007-10-31}}</ref> TomTom responded by upping their bid to €2.9 billion, an offer which was again approved by the board of Tele Atlas.<ref name="TomTom counter">{{cite news | title=Digital mapmaker Tele Atlas endorses €2.9 billion TomTom bid | publisher=[[Associated Press]] | date=2007-11-08 | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/08/business/EU-FIN-COM-Netherlands-Tele-Atlas.php | access-date=2007-11-09}}</ref> Garmin had been expected to counterbid once again: with Tele Atlas' main global rival [[Navteq]] subject to a takeover bid from [[Nokia]], the company had stated that it did not wish both companies to fall into the hands of rivals.<ref name="TomTom counter" /> However, after striking a content agreement with Navteq through the year 2015, Garmin withdrew its takeover offer, clearing the way for TomTom.<ref>{{cite news |title = Garmin Withdraws $3.3B Tele Atlas Bid |publisher = [[Associated Press]] |date = 2007-11-16 |url = http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jIIYKygFGCMxkzidJXASRnDHqMdQD8SUR5EO0 |access-date = 2007-11-16 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071122212335/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jIIYKygFGCMxkzidJXASRnDHqMdQD8SUR5EO0 |archive-date = 2007-11-22 }}</ref> On 4 December 2007, TomTom shareholders approved the takeover.<ref name="wsj-tomtomshareholders">{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119677803171513059?mod=googlenews_wsj |title=TomTom Holders Approve Takeover of Tele Atlas |last=Kloet |first=Steven |date=2007-12-04 |access-date=2007-12-07 |publisher=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The [[European Commissioner for Competition]] cleared the takeover in May 2008,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=agxCR2X5oJJ4&refer=europe|title=TomTom Wins EU Antitrust Approval to Buy Tele Atlas|last=Newman|first=Matthew|author2=van de Hoef, Marcel|date=14 May 2008|work=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]|access-date=2008-06-03}}</ref> and it closed in June. ==Internet mapping agreements== Historically, Internet mapping providers have utilized map data from a variety of vendors. Given the growth in usage of Internet mapping portals, the map suppliers have competed fiercely for that business. On 30 June 2008, Tele Atlas announced a five-year agreement to continue to supply data to [[Google Maps]]. Under the deal, Tele Atlas was to have access to corrections and updates to the data made by the Google Maps community.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/30/AR2008063000799.html|title=In New Deal With Tele Atlas, Google Maps Sends Data Back|last=Schonfeld|first=Erick|date=30 June 2008|work=[[TechCrunch]]|publisher=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=2008-07-04}}</ref> Roughly a year later, in October 2009, Google discontinued using Tele Atlas maps in the United States and began collecting map feedback from consumers for their own use.<ref name="forbes">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/10/23/android-navigation-internet-technology-wireless-google.html|title=Google's Navigation Bombshell|last=Woyke|first=Elizabeth|date=23 October 2009|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=2009-11-06|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124002714/http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/23/android-navigation-internet-technology-wireless-google.html|archive-date=2013-01-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, Google announced Google Maps Navigation for Android, which provides [[turn-by-turn navigation]], similar to the functionality provided by TomTom devices, for free as part of Android.<ref name="forbes" /> In May 2008, Mapquest announced that it had expanded its agreement with Navteq to use Navteq map data in 73 countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://corporate.navteq.com/webapps/NewsUserServlet?action=NewsDetail&newsId=634&lang=en&englishonly=false |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714160741/http://corporate.navteq.com/webapps/NewsUserServlet?action=NewsDetail&newsId=634&lang=en&englishonly=false |archive-date=2011-07-14 |title=English Press Releases}}</ref> In January 2009, Microsoft announced that it had expanded its agreement with Navteq to utilize its map data for 74 countries, in addition to licensing a variety of additional content.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://corporate.navteq.com/webapps/NewsUserServlet?action=NewsDetail&newsId=691&lang=jp&englishonly=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714160737/http://corporate.navteq.com/webapps/NewsUserServlet?action=NewsDetail&newsId=691&lang=jp&englishonly=true |archive-date=2011-07-14 |title=English Press Releases}}</ref> As a result, consumers in the Internet segment are likely to be exposed to Tele Atlas data less frequently. ==See also== *[[Map database management]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://mydrive.tomtom.com TomTom MyDrive] * [https://www.tomtommaps.com TomTom Maps] [[Category:Map companies]] [[Category:GIS companies]]
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