QCraft, an autonomous driving technology company, signed a memorandum of understanding with HERE Technologies, a mapping and location data platform, at an event called HERE Directions 2026 in Munich.
Under the MoU, the two companies will explore how HERE’s map data and location intelligence can work together with QCraft’s navigation-assisted driving technology, with the goal of speeding up the local validation and rollout of intelligent driving solutions in Europe and other international markets.
The signing follows the Paris Motor Show, where QCraft demonstrated its QPilot Urban Navigation on Autopilot (NOA) system on Paris streets for the first time.
Gang Zhao, vice president of business at QCraft, and Jason Jameson, chief customer officer at HERE Technologies, signed the agreement on the main stage at Motorworld Munich.
A navigation-assisted driving system needs accurate, up-to-date map data on lanes, junctions, traffic signs and speed limits, all of which differ from one European country to the next.
HERE’s location platform powers 238 million vehicles worldwide, more than 63 million of which use its data for driver assistance and automated driving.
Working with HERE’s global map data and location intelligence is expected to help QCraft accelerate the local adaptation and validation of its intelligent driving solutions across different markets, while potentially simplifying integration for automakers already using HERE’s technologies.
Jameson says: “QCraft embodies innovation in motion when it comes to autonomous driving, and as the company looks to bring its capabilities to more international markets, including Europe, we’re honored to play a role in supporting that journey.
“Our partnership brings together QCraft’s deep autonomous driving expertise with HERE’s trusted location intelligence to help enable safer, more reliable and more localized driving experiences.”
Zhao says: “Our driver assistance systems are now in more than one million vehicles, and as we expand into Europe, getting the experience right for local drivers matters more and more.
“We see today’s signing as a new starting point, and we look forward to working with HERE to bring autonomous driving to more markets around the world.”
At the awards ceremony that evening, Jameson presented QCraft with the 2026 HERE Horizon Award. The HERE Horizon Awards recognize organizations pushing the boundaries of location technology to shape the future of mobility, logistics and AI innovation across industries.
QCraft was honored for enabling world-scale autonomous driving through the global launch of its Urban NOA solution, part of the QPilot end-to-end autonomous driving system.
From Paris to Munich, QCraft is linking its mass-production experience in China with European safety standards and local service, under its approach of “Global Technology, Local Service”.
The company’s European headquarters is in Munich, where local teams cover research and development, certification and business development. QCraft has worked with more than 10 leading automakers on more than 40 vehicle models.
