BMW AG, Audi AG and Daimler AG plan to invite other investors to join the mapping consortium they’ve forged to compete with Google Inc., people familiar with the matter said.
New partners are unlikely to be added until after the $3.1 billion purchase from Nokia Oyj closes in the first quarter of 2016, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. Preliminary talks have been held with peers including General Motors Co., which signaled willingness to consider joining, one of the people said.
More stakeholders in maps unit HERE means more vehicles eventually feeding data on road conditions and accidents into the platform. Additional partners would also increase the complexity of what is already an unprecedented joint acquisition by the German companies.
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