Daimler, BMW, and Audi Together Buy Nokia HERE

Self-driving cars linked to wireless networks rely on intelligent mapping systems to perform functions such as recalculating a route. Furthermore, such mapping systems will play an important role in collision detection too.

About why Nokia is selling HERE - that's to allow the company to focus on integrating its 15.6 billion-euro purchase of Alcatel Lucent. The Alcatel Lucent deal will create the world's second largest network equipment maker.

The Finnish company announced a strategic review of its navigation business in April, setting up an auction process that pitted Germany's premium automakers against Internet rivals from the United States and China, who have now pulled back. Competitors included one bidding group involving US-based online taxi and ride-sharing service Uber with Chinese Internet company Baidu.

Daimler, BMW and Audi want to become service providers as a way to own customer relationships which may otherwise migrate to new transport businesses created by high-tech rivals such as Google or Apple.

Dieter Zetsche, Chief Executive, Daimler, said, "With the joint acquisition of HERE, we want to secure the independence of this central service for all vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and customers in other industries."