Nokia sells Here maps division to BMW, Audi and Daimler

Nokia will sell its cards division for 2.8 billion euros to a group of car manufacturers including BMW, Audi and Daimler. It is the second major branch to be sold by Nokia, after it sold its smartphone division to Microsoft in 2013.

In the announcement, Nokia hinted that BMW, Audi and Daimler will continue to license the cards to other companies. Microsoft, Samsung and Amazon, among others, now have a license to use the cards. For example, with the proprietary maps division, the automakers can try to fine-tune map technology for use in self-driving cars, something that requires more precise maps than there are now.

Nokia sells the division to raise money for the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, the French supplier of networking products it plans to acquire. The acquisition will cost 15.6 billion euros. After the takeover of Here, which should be completed in early 2016, Nokia still consists of two divisions. Nokia Network for networking products and services and Nokia Advanced Technologies for licensing its brand for smartphones and tablets such as the N1 and new products such as the Ozo.

The Finnish manufacturer sells its second major division in a few years with Here. It signed a deal with Microsoft in 2013 to sell its phone and smartphone business. Microsoft now sells smartphones solely under the name Lumia and uses the name Nokia only for cheap mobile phones.

It is unknown what will happen to the Here Maps and Here Drive services for Android and iOS. Microsoft has a license to use Here apps on Windows Phone, so they will likely continue to exist. Nokia took over the map material with the acquisition of Navteq in 2007.