Digital mapping developer Dynamic Map Platform (DMP) has agreed to purchase Ushr, a US-based mapping technology startup backed by car manufacturer General Motors (GM), for an undisclosed amount.
Spun out of 3D geospatial firm GeoSpatial in 2007, Ushr provides high-definition mapping software to help self-driving vehicles safely navigate mapped routes.
The platform has mapped all controlled access highways in the US and Canada, and provides a view of the roadway, road objects and geometric road features.
Venture capital firm Forte Ventures led Ushr’s $10m series A round in September 2017, investing alongside GM’s corporate venturing unit, GM Ventures.
Emerald Technology Ventures also took part in the round, as did fellow venture capital firm Enertech Capital, Ushr’s largest shareholder prior to the acquisition.
Bob Lutz, a former vice-chairman of GM who sits on Ushr’s board of directors, said: “The features and functionality that will redefine ‘driving’ in the coming years are being sourced from new providers including young technology companies that may or may not have started life in the auto industry.”