Iowa interstate to be mapped for self-driving cars

In an effort to attract self-driving car researchers to the state, the Iowa Department of Transportation has hired a tech company to create detailed and real-time maps of road conditions on Interstate 380.

HERE, a mapping company owned by German automakers BMW, Audi and Daimler will combine the DOT’s maps and traffic monitoring with its own mapping technology to create real-time, three-dimensional maps of the interstate.

The maps should be accurate down to the centimeter and will be available for researchers and car-makers, said Andrea Henry, a spokesperson for the DOT.

Iowa has no legislation that regulates or prohibits self-driving cars.

While no companies are known to be testing self-driving cars in Iowa, state officials hope the maps will change that.

“We know the technologies are coming, so the department is really trying to take a leadership role,” Henry said. “We believe (autonomous driving technology) is going to improve the safety, efficiency and mobility of the traffic system.”

RELATED: How Iowa is paving the way for self-driving cars

Initially, HERE will map I-380 between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. The maps should be available by next summer. After that, the state could consider mapping to more interstate sections, Henry said.

Henry described the end product as a living map that provides data for autonomous vehicles about traffic, weather and road conditions.

DOT officials saw untapped potential in the ability to combine the state’s maps and traffic data with a technology company’s mapping abilities and issued a request for proposals earlier this year. HERE was the winning bidder.

The DOT could not immediately provide a cost for the project. It will depend on how many miles of highway HERE maps, Henry said.

HERE’s communication department did not respond to an email Monday afternoon seeking comment about the project.

Contrary to some media reports, the project will only create maps of the interstate. It will not involve the installation of any physical equipment or sensors.