6 Automotive Data Services Platforms

This post is the latest in our “Driving Local” series. It’s our editorial focus for the month of August, including topics like autonomous vehicles and the car as the ultimate “local” mobile device. See the rest of the series here. 

Automakers are ramping up production of connected cars with internet connectivity. Companies like Tesla, BMW, GM, and Toyota are leading the pack in innovation as they find new ways to enable their vehicles to access data, send data, and communicate with Internet of Things (IoT) devices. But in order for consumer-facing companies and outside technology firms to take complete advantage of the data that’s being generated by automakers, the data coming from today’s connected vehicles needs to be aggregated and normalized.

Automotive data services platforms are stepping in with technology designed to take connected vehicles to the next level. By ingesting and cleansing data from connected cars, these platforms are helping minimize the development work that’s needed to launch a wide variety of third-party apps and services.

Here are six companies that are innovating in the space.

1. wejo ADEPT
wejo ADEPT is a flexible platform for sharing and accessing connected car data. Build to be used by drivers, OEMs, developers, and businesses, wejo’s cloud-based data exchange platform offers integration options on all sides of the exchange. It curates, cleanses, and standardizes raw car data, in addition to enriching data through third-party sources and existing data assets. The platform features built-in consent and anonymisation framework, making it globally compliant. Potential use cases include geo-information services, increasing driver safety, reducing congestion, enriching HD maps, facilitating drive offers, and analyzing media consumption trends.

2. Otonomo
Otonomo’s automotive data services platform relies on patented technology to ingest, normalize, and enrich car data for apps and services. The company is working to standardize the data coming from many different sources within the automotive industry, so that the data can easily be used by developers and consumers. Otonomo is differentiating itself within the space by keeping its platform neutral. This makes it so that Otonomo can operate with data from multiple auto manufacturers, not just one brand. Otonomo’s datasets are also designed to incorporate third-party sources and aggregated events. Developers can access that data and plug into the company’s platform through an API.

3. CarAlgo
Developed by SMARTO, a company that specializes in IoT and connectivity engineering, CarAlgo connects vehicles and data in a cloud-based exchange. When the CarAlgo Device is connected to a vehicle, CarAlgo is able to collect data from that vehicle and funnel it into an automotive data services platform. Using standardized APIs, CarAlgo’s platform manages raw data, reprocessed data, and events data. Businesses in the insurance industry, fleet managers, and aftermarket professionals can then use the data to improve their vehicle security, analyze driver behaviors, and learn more about the health of their vehicles. CarAlgo also offers tools for monetizing connected vehicle data.

4. Vinli
A data intelligence platform for mobility and transportation, Vinli was developed for especially for automotive brands. The company’s platform maps real-world data relationships and provides brands with customized application solutions to keep their automotive-based software relevant. Like the other platforms on this list, Vinli consumes and normalizes data with a proprietary data intelligence system. However, Vinli also creates custom mobility solutions for its clients with white label offerings. Vinli offers its own connected car platform called Tenjin, which businesses can use to quickly create their own connected car services and applications.

5. Journeyware
Developed by the automotive telematics firm Xevo, Journeyware is a suite of products that includes a data management software designed to personalize the consumer driving experience. Journeyware has coupled AI and machine learning with data analysis tools to give automakers a better understanding of their own customers. Xevo’s mobile framework also works with in-car and cloud services to deliver connected car features—like vehicle status and remote functions—to OEM mobile apps. Components of Journeyware are already deployed in more than 25 million vehicles worldwide.

6. Smartcar
Smartcar developed a car API for mobility applications. The company is ingesting data from connected cars and making that data available to developers who want to enable their apps to locate, unlock, and read the odometers from cars across more than a dozen car brands. Drivers need to link their cars to the developer’s app before the developer can start making API requests. In addition to viewing their odometers, developers can also see the fuel tank level, location, VIN number, and other vehicle attributes for drivers who have opted-in. Among Smartcar’s many potential use cases could be peer-to-peer car sharing and mobile car washing apps.

Stephanie Miles is a senior editor at Street Fight.