Location data vendor HERE Technologies produced 3D models of 75 city centers around the world — offering a way for developers of real-world visualizations of cities to get a head start.
Called HERE Premier 3D Cities, the models include data layers and attributes that are aligned to physical geometry and terrain. Each structure is indexed, addressable and accurate to its physical location, volume size, elevation and color.
“With the enterprise developer in mind, HERE has captured, indexed and mapped the world’s major road networks and urban centers in 3D,” said Jorgen Behrens, senior VP and CPO at HERE. “They are the building blocks to create accurate, sub-meter augmented reality application that are transforming supply chains, transportation and mobility networks and overall consumer experiences.”
The data can be used to search and highlight individual buildings, attach metadata to structures or apply rendering techniques such as CGI applications to the 3D models.
Potential uses for these augmented reality visualizations include providing navigation cues with maps to last-mile delivery drivers with precise building dimensions and entry points along delivery routes. Or giving entertainment vendors or businesses building blocks for virtual site visits and seamless computer-generated imagery. The 3D models could also be used by telecoms to build 5G networks in 3D or allow urban planners and emergency responders to build digital twins for better land use or disaster readiness simulations.
Audi’s A8 sedan integrates the HERE 3D city models for navigation user interface and lane-level guidance experiences for drivers.
HERE has mapped 196 countries and collects more than 28 terabytes of terrestrial lidar data every day. The Premier 3D Cities service was created using lidar, optical and satellite imagery as well as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
CES 2021 is all-digital and taking place Jan. 11-14.
