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Google and Mercedes-Benz Daimler sign exclusive deal for early access to Map APIs for automotive apps

Executive Chairman of Google Eric Schmidt and Vice President Product Innovations and Process Technologies at Daimler Eike Böhm. (Image via 3d-car-shows.com.)

Today at CES 2012 Google and Daimler AG announced a new strategic partnership that will provide the car manufacturer with early access to APIs for building services like Google Maps and Places into automotive-specific applications.

The collaboration will enable Daimler to use Google Maps for their in-car map displays, and significantly improve their ability to quickly and seamlessly integrate useful Google services into Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles. By making innovative Google products available directly within its cars, Mercedes-Benz is able to accelerate the adoption of cutting edge technologies.

This is not the first partnership announced with Daimler and Google. As the press released noted, Daimler was originally the first carmaker to implement Google Maps’ “Send-to-Car” feature in 2007. Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz vehicles now provide COMAND Online, “a telematics system with cloud-based Mercedes-Benz apps that brings Google Street View, Panoramio and local search.”

The company was also the first to offer individualized routes sent from Google Maps to a vehicle, and plan on making all of these new Google services available to Mercedes-Benz customers in the United States through the mbrace2 infotainment solution in 2012’s second quarter. The full press release is available below:

Press release via 4-traders:

Daimler AG : Daimler and Google deepen strategic partnership

  • Cooperation offers Daimler early access to Google’s application programming interfaces for building automotive applications
  • Daimler and Google provide access to Google Maps and Places for drivers

Las Vegas, NV, USA – Today at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Daimler and Google announced a deepening of their strategic partnership to provide Daimler with access to the suite of application programming interfaces (APIs) known as Google Maps API for Business for the use of cloud-based, map-related applications in Daimler vehicles and early access to other new APIs as they are developed.

These applications significantly accelerate time-to-market in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. The existing services, which include the Google Maps and Places APIs, will create an enhanced motoring experience for Mercedes-Benz drivers across the world.

The collaboration will enable Daimler to use Google Maps for their in-car map displays, and significantly improve their ability to quickly and seamlessly integrate useful Google services into Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles. By making innovative Google products available directly within its cars, Mercedes-Benz is able to accelerate the adoption of cutting edge technologies.

Daimler has a strong history of bringing innovative solutions to market. After demonstrating their technological leadership with AMG Performance Media, an in-car telemetry system powered by AndroidTM in autumn 2011 at the launch of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster, Daimler was named “International CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree”.

Ongoing successful long-term cooperation

Google and Daimler have been working in close partnership for many years. In 2007 Daimler was the first automotive manufacturer in the United States to launch the Google “Send-to-Car” functionality in a vehicle. This gave Mercedes-Benz customers the opportunity to easily send destinations from Google Maps to their in-vehicle navigation systems. As of 2011, Mercedes-Benz offers COMAND Online, a telematics system with cloud-based Mercedes-Benz apps that brings Google Street View, Panoramio and local search technologies to most Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.

Mercedes-Benz customers also have the opportunity to send individualized routes from Google Maps to their vehicles, as Daimler is first-to-market with the implementation of this Google service. In the second quarter of 2012 all these services will also be available with mbrace2 to Mercedes-Benz customers in the USA.

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Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s weekly Logic Pros series and makes music as one half of Toronto-based Makamachine.