Nokia: Cars Could Be Our Future

Nokia stated that its future might lie beyond the smartphone and tablet market; automobiles represent a high-growth area for Nokia.

Although Nokia is primarily renowned for its mobile phones, it has already ventured into the automotive sector. Its "Here Maps" mapping application is currently used in many car navigation systems.

Michael Halbherr, Executive Vice President of Location and Commerce at Nokia, said that the automotive industry could be the key to Nokia's future survival. He mentioned that automobiles are a high-growth area for Nokia.

Halbherr, speaking this week at the Nokia World conference held in Abu Dhabi, said, "We can bring a lot of services into the car. We really do believe that cars are a growth area for Nokia."

Halbherr confirmed that the "Here Maps" mapping software is at the core of Nokia's comprehensive entry into in-car systems. He said, "We have been talking internally about in-car systems. 'Here Maps' will provide a unified platform for all touchpoints (smartphones, tablets, desktops, in-car systems)."

Looking ahead at the potential for growth in the automotive sector, Halbherr said, "When you look at the current adoption rate of in-car navigation systems, it stands at around 20% to 25%. As we move towards advanced driving systems and autonomous driving systems, the adoption rate of in-car systems will increase significantly."

While providing navigation options for drivers and automobile manufacturers, Nokia will also explore other aspects of advanced in-car systems to seek growth within the automotive industry. Halbherr said, "Managing traffic and pollution in major cities is also very important. This is a massive growth area with a growth rate potentially reaching 20% to 25%, or even up to 100%."