Otonomo expands its ecosystem for connected car data utilisation

Otonomo, the leading automotive data services platform, announced that it is expanding the capabilities of its platform to increase the utilisation of crowd data.

In addition to supporting personal services for BMW and MINI connected vehicles across the globe, Otonomo will also make crowd data available for innovative new use cases that reduce city congestion and improve the driving experience. Crowd data is now available from connected BMW and MINI vehicles located in more than 44 countries, along with data from other automotive manufacturers.

The Otonomo Automotive Data Services Platform increases the value of this data by reshaping it and enriching it so application and service providers can more quickly utilise it in their applications. Use cases supported by this initiative include parking, urban planning for smart cities, real-time intelligence, local hazard warning services, mapping services and municipal maintenance and road optimisation.

Aggregated ultrasonic sensor data from BMW vehicles can be used to identify open parking spots and estimate parking availability. Services that use this data can dramatically decrease urban congestion and alleviate one of the most frustrating moments in drivers' city trips. The content and location of road signs detected by forward cameras from BMW Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) enrich the understanding of traffic flows through urban environments and highways. Real-time traffic information and navigation services and apps can use BMW data to highlight areas of congestion and help drivers find the fastest routes.

BMW local hazard data provides a way to alert drivers of dangerous road conditions—including heavy rain or dense fog—through mapping and navigation services. In addition, information on dynamic signage can issue warnings on slowdowns, slippery roads, or ice. Road sign and ultra-sonic sensor (USS) data keep critical road information updated. This includes speed limits shown on road signs and temporary road and speed changes caused by construction work. Analytics can use BMW road sign data to identify signs that are missing or damaged and even trigger repair orders.

“Otonomo has long focused on building an ecosystem around car data that is open to many parties and inclusive for many use cases,” said Ben Volkow, Chief Executive Office and Founder of Otonomo. “We're excited to be able to expand this ecosystem with crowd data from BMW and MINI vehicles.”

BMW Group road sign data, traffic data, ultrasonic sensor data, and hazard data are now available to service providers who are registered on the Otonomo Platform.