DAY OF THE VISIONARIES
Voice-controlled navigation systems are a great invention – but only if they understand the address they ‘hear’ correctly. Today’s systems struggle with other obstacles too.
Some addresses have duplicates, others no name at all; and postal addresses for big industrial companies or shopping malls don’t always take you to the visitors’ entrance. And while geo-coordinates are more precise, they’re impossible to remember and hard to type.
The British start-up what3words has an idea that sidesteps all these pitfalls neatly. The company has created a new form of geocoding that names places clearly, and lets you share their coordinates unambiguously. Basically, what3words lays a grid of 57 billion 3 x 3 metre squares over the whole globe. Each square is given a unique three-word address that is easy to transmit – in 14 different languages. The w3w address of the Handelsblatt editorial office, for example, is ///neuerung.runde.tagtraum.
Even in the middle of nowhere, people can use the app to receive three magic words that identify their unique ‘address’ – then share it via email, SMS or phone if they wish to be picked up. Mercedes-Benz is using this 3-word method in its new navigation systems, and the Mongolian Postal Service has made it the country’s official address system.
Automotive Summit 2018 – Executive Summary
In early December 2018, over 600 automotive experts from all over the world – including manufacturers and suppliers, tech and energy companies, politicians and associations – attended the auto industry summit in Wolfsburg, Germany. From 3 – 5 December, the industry’s big hitters discussed strategies, concepts and technologies for tomorrow’s automobiles and the future course of their industry.