Nokia-owned Navteq (technically the handset maker’s mapping division) has acquired crowdsourced traffic data app Trapster . Details remain undisclosed. The San Diego, USA-based company’s app, which runs on multiple mobile platforms – iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Symbian, WebOS and JAVA-compatible feature phones – as well as network aware dedicated Sat-Nav devices, lets drivers alert other drivers to things like speed trap cameras and other “hazards”. This involves pressing a button on the phone or calling in via a toll free number, while the back end takes this aggregate data to alert other drivers nearby. It’s part of a wider trend where Sat-Nav systems are becoming smarter thanks to crowdsourced data and the opportunities offered by always-on connectivity.
Autoblog, which first reported the acquisition (now confirmed by paidContent), describes the run up to the deal as a “bidding war” involving five companies, though doesn’t name names. It also notes that Trapster, founded in 2003, has seen 9 million downloads, while it’s thought that the company’s service will remain in tact, despite now being under the ownership of Nokia.
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