Why the AI era will need a unified, cloud-based map

HERE AI Assistant-Customizing long route with pauses-2025

Advancements in car mapping are poised to reshape the driving experience, with HERE leading the way.

“Theoretical range in a dashboard doesn’t mean much to drivers—they care about real-world reach.”

That’s how Remco Timmer, Senior Vice President at HERE Technologies, sets the tone in a recent interview with Just Auto.

Fresh off HERE’s double win in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for Innovation and Business Expansion, Timmer explains why navigation is being reimagined for an EV-first, AI-assisted, software-defined future. And in a market full of big promises and rapid change, his perspective feels refreshingly grounded.

Timmer touches on everything from EV-aware routing to the rise of L2+ features that need maps smart enough to understand the world around them. He also hints at how AI in the cabin can stay factual and helpful without overwhelming drivers, and why global carmakers are rethinking the role of maps as they scale electrification and automation.

What emerges is a clearer picture of how navigation is evolving into something closer to a mission control layer, guiding both the driver and the vehicle.

To get the full detail from Timmer and explore how HERE is preparing for the next wave of EVs and automation, read the complete interview now on Just Auto.