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Amazon is also considering becoming a shareholder in HERE, two
sources said.
Last year, carmakers BMW, Audi and Mercedes struck a 2.5 billion
euro ($2.85 billion)deal to buy Nokia's HERE maps business.
Intelligent mapping systems supply information to control
self-driving cars, which are equipped with street-scanning
sensors to measure traffic and road conditions. This location
data can in turn be shared with other map users.
"Amazon would take a stake as part of a broader deal to lock
them in as a provider of cloud computing services," one source
familiar with the talks said.
"Microsoft is also interested in closer ties to HERE," another
source familiar with the talks said.
Microsoft declined to comment. Amazon did not respond to
requests to comment.
Audi, the premium brand owned by Volkswagen, Daimler - the
parent company of Mercedes-Benz - and BMW declined to comment on
talks with potential new partners.
The consortium needs cloud computing providers to manage the
mountains of data collected from sensors on thousands of
Mercedes, BMW and Audi cars. These digital maps allow cars to
avoid traffic jams or hazards such as ice.
"The new owners Audi, Daimler and BMW have said from the start
that they are open for new partners to join," BMW said in a
statement. "We have noticed that there is lots of interest not
only from potential partners from within the automotive
industry, but also from other sectors."
The consortium has started negotiations with potential new
partners, including both rival carmakers and potential
technology suppliers.
Having more carmakers on board will spread the cost of
investments required to develop the digital mapping business,
and could improve the volume of data about traffic information
being fed into the map database from vehicles on the road.
Renault and automotive supplier Continental have both expressed
interest.
Continental said on Thursday a decision on whether to buy a
stake in HERE would be made within the next few months.
Ford is also among the companies interested in taking a stake in
the HERE consortium, a third auto industry source said on
Thursday.
Asked whether Ford was in talks with the group about taking a
stake in HERE, a spokesman for the company said: "We have been
and will continue working with many companies and discussing a
variety of subjects." He declined further comment.
Self-driving and connected car services could become a $50
billion market, analysts at Exane BNP Paribas have estimated.
($1 = 0.8758 euros)
(Additional reporting by Andreas Cremer, Ilona Wissenbach and
Mari Saito. Editing by Jane Merriman and Susan Thomas)
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