REMEMBER the first sat nav maps and driving information technology?

A whole new world opened up for drivers as maps scrolled their way on to dashboards and information services like Trafficmaster intoned in a clear voice that traffic was flowing freely ahead.

Some systems were a little on the shaky side as I remember one particular screen from a well-known manufacturer which placed me off the coast of the Isle of Man when I was driving into the centre of Chester without a splash of seawater to be seen.

But things proceeded apace and the modern systems have proved to be a godsend, telling us in one go not only how to reach our destination, but also of the length and time of any holdup or delay ahead.

The world has now reached a point in which the future of navigational equipment is ready to make a quantum leap.

The truth us that in the world of intelligent real-time maps, location-based services and highly-automated driving, the future lies in a digitised world.

And one of the experts in this field, HERE has now joined forces with Audi, Daimler and BMW.

HERE's location platform is set to deliver high definition maps combined with real-time location information, providing customers a detailed representation of the real world in real time. This is achieved through HERE's leading mapping technology combined with countless data sources such as cars, mobile phones, the transport and logistics sector as well as infrastructure elements.

While HERE currently powers its map with data from more than 80,000 sources and billions of probe points daily, the company is actively engaged in connecting to millions of vehicles and their on-board sensors that generate information about the car's surroundings. The more data added to the HERE platform, the better its maps, products and services become.

To enable HERE to further enhance its location platform, improve its products and generate new services for all customers, the three companies, together with HERE, are evaluating the benefit of providing sensor data from their fleets to HERE.

In the future, maps will give vehicles the ability to effectively ‘see around corners', enabling them to anticipate road hazards and prepare and adjust driving strategies accordingly.