Our story

Only a handful of companies can call themselves true mapmakers. It took a strong vision, persistence and many bold decisions for us to become a leading independent mapmaker with a global impact.


TomTom began as a startup in the Netherlands, building on the Dutch heritage of cartography. We quickly grew into a major tech company, redefining personal navigation and creating one of the fastest selling consumer products in history. More than thirty years and billions of drives later, we’re using our wealth of mapping expertise to help solve the world’s toughest mobility challenges.


Together with our customers, partners and global team of inspired individuals, we’ve built a new generation of maps that are richer and more versatile than ever before. Our unique platform empowers global automakers, businesses, governments and developers to bring their visions to life—creating safer, greener cities and mobility.

Always moving forward

TomTom Amsterdam office

Our journey

2024

TomTom Orbis Maps and its world leading traffic data transform the public sector with solutions for smart cities and national governments.

2023

TomTom brings generative AI into the vehicle with large language models (LLM) for truly engaging driving experiences.

2022

Introduces TomTom Orbis Maps. An open, flexible platform that pools map content from map users around the world to set new standards in mapmaking.

2019 – 2021

The rise of software driven vehicles sees TomTom innovating with open, modular software platforms. Launches its first autonomous driving vehicle to improve the technology and begins collaborations via Map Editing partnerships with customers, such as Uber.

2015 – 2018

TomTom creates a solutions stack to answer for more demanding use cases—from building a mapmaking platform for real-time updates at scale and launching high definition maps to introducing APIs for developers.

2007 - 2014

TomTom acquires TeleAtlas and moves into the mapping business. Introduces the world’s first €500 embedded navigation solution with Renault and continues to make in-roads into the automotive and transport industry.

2005 - 2006

TomTom transforms routing and estimated times of arrival by pioneering the use of historical travel times, GPS traces and real-time traffic services. Using this tech, TomTom goes on to build Europe’s largest fleet platform.

1991 – 2004

TomTom introduces personal navigation to the world. Starting as Palmtop Software to changing driving forever with the world’s first all-in-one satnav – TomTom GO. Over the period TomTom sells over a 100 million satnavs.