The company said the system also works despite changes in the environment, meaning it can adapt to fresh snowfall, leaves falling off of trees or new road signs. It would have to be paired with GPS systems, obstacle detection and other tech to be used in autonomous systems. Nevertheless, it's a key piece: "We know that the future of automated driving hinges on the ability of a vehicle to continuously know exactly where it is on the road," said TomTom CEO Harold Goddijn.