Mapmaker Ushr adds Nissan to customer list

Mapping technology company Ushr Inc. has compiled high-definition map data for more than 500,000 miles of roads in the United States.

These maps enable important driver assistance features. Perhaps most notably, the company’s map data powers Cadillac’s Super Cruise hands-free driving feature.

A second global automaker is now planning to use these maps. Nissan said Thursday that it has been working with the Livonia, Michigan-based map maker for a long time, and the two companies revealed that Nissan’s ProPilot Assist 2.0 driver assist system will use Ushr maps.

The system debuted in the U.S. on the 2023 Nissan Ariya, which arrives at dealerships in late 2022.

Unlike other cartographers, Ushr says its roots in civil engineering and surveying work differentiates its product from its competitors. The company uses lidar sensors to collect information that allows the car to identify its location within 10 cm of him.

In practice, this allows for smoother lane centering and more subtle speed adjustments.

Ushr CEO Chris Thibodeau said:

— Pete Bigelow