TomTom 2009 Annual Report Download - page 24

22 / MANAGEMENT BOARD REPORT (CONTINUED)
PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY
STRUCTURED FOR INNOVATION
Our three production units are responsible for
developing and producing the group’s innovative
technologies and content to be used and sold by the
customer-facing business units. From HD Traffic™
and Map Share™ to map production and Speed
Profiles®, these units are pivotal to TomTom’s
development of its core technologies. In addition,
they are responsible for developing and delivering
the platforms for services and content delivery
such as our LIVE Services and HOME device
management software application.
By centralising the development and production of
all the group’s content and services we can leverage
our technologies and knowledge more efficiently.
It is this shared technology base that allows us to
provide the best location and navigation solutions,
to different customer segments through the
business units.
We have always developed all our core technologies
in-house, from the ground up, because this
underpins our innovative leadership position in the
location and navigation industry. Ownership and
control of electronics, firmware, mapping and
navigation algorithms, user interfaces, connectivity
and real-time services allow us to deliver a
seamless and integrated user experience.
A busy year
>7 January
We announced the
availability of the
second generation
semi-embedded
TomTom device,
designed for use with
the in-dash FUJITSU
TEN ECLIPSE
AVN4430 audio and
video system. With this
product, a customer
can enjoy all the
benefits of portable
navigation, integrated
fully into the
dashboard of their
vehicle. This second
generation product
was recognised as
an Innovations
2009 Design and
Engineering Award
Honoree.
JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH MAY JUNE
>11 February
We made available
the first map database
to contain new and
adjusted roads, based
on feedback from map
users. Tele Atlas
MultiNet®2009.02
contains new roads,
as well as roads with
adjusted geometry,
detected or verified in
part using real world
GPS measurements
on thousands of roads
from the TomTom
community
>3 March
We announced that
Toyota had extended
its relationship with
TomTom to feature the
second generation of
our semi-embedded
portable navigation
solution in select
vehicles.
On the same day, we
revealed details of the
Carminat-TomTom
embedded navigation
solution co-developed
with Renault. The
Carminat-TomTom
was rolled out on
Renault’s small to
medium car lines
throughout the year.
>23 March
We revealed two new
versions of our high
volume PNDs. The
new TomTom ONE IQ
Routes and XL IQ
Routes brought
leading technologies
previously only
available on TomTom’s
top-end TomTom GO
series, such as IQ
Routes and advanced
lane guidance.
>26 March
We announced the
availability of the latest
version of Tele Atlas
Speed Profiles,
which provides highly
accurate speed data
to help navigation
system users find the
optimal routes and
far more accurately
estimate travel times.
Speed Profiles is
available in 26
countries, covering
35 million kilometres
of roads and featuring
data derived from
more than 600 billion
speed measurements
shared by consumers
over the past two years.
>20 May
We made our
connected devices
available to a broader
public by introducing
the TomTom XL LIVE.
With this product our
LIVE Services can be
used in multiple
countries with no
hidden costs or extra
fees for drivers when
travelling abroad.
>22 June
Licensing made our
HD Traffic service
available to navigation
and location-based
industries. The traffic
information helps
drivers save time and
money and reduce
their environmental
impact.