Audi, BMW and Daimler were bound to raise eyebrows around the auto industry by teaming up to buy Here, the dominant supplier of digital maps for in-car navigation.
So the Germans are sending a message to their competitors: Don’t fear us. Join us.
The $3.1 billion acquisition of the Nokia subsidiary, announced Monday, Aug. 3, was mainly a defensive move. Audi, BMW and Daimler sought to keep Here from falling into the hands of a Silicon Valley company such as Apple or Uber that wouldn’t share their vision.
Yet other automakers might have had reason to worry that the new owners could use their control of Here’s maps to freeze out their competitors.
Via Juan Manuel.