The automotive industry feared that if mapping firm Here were to be snapped up by a technology company, it would monopolize in-vehicle mapping systems, and cut car makers out of the picture – but a consortium of German automakers stands in the way, for now. Following the completion of Nokia’s sale of its Here mapping unit to a consortium including car manufacturers Audi, BMW, and Mercedes (Daimler-Benz), for $3.1bn, it will be interesting to see in which direction the automakers push Here – which currently claims to supply the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems for every four out of five vehicles. The most immediate conclusion is that the purchase was made in order to further the group’s ambitions for autonomous cars, which…