Israeli firm Otonomo has improved utilisation of crowd data on its automotive data services platform, which is used by BMW and MINI connected vehicles across more than 44 countries. New use cases for crowd data on the Otonomo platform will include smart city applications and real-time traffic information.

With the enhancements to the platform, 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 help reduce urban congestion. 

The platform can also support urban planning and management, as content and location of road signs detected by forward cameras from BMW Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) help enrich the understanding of traffic flows through urban environments and highways.

In addition, 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, while 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.

Through the platform, road sign and ultra-sonic sensor (USS) data can keep critical road information updated. This includes speed limits shown on road signs and temporary road and speed changes caused by construction work.  The platform also enhances municipal road maintenance and optimisation, with analytics using 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.”