The collaboration marks one of the first commercial integrations by an OEM of tactile sensing technology and data, which will be used to enhance driving performance and detection of road conditions.
The integration of Tactile Mobility’s sensing software into the BMW Group’s vehicle models will equip them with the ability to analyse the road surface attributes under the vehicle's tyres, enabling accurate detection of road conditions as well as vehicle dynamics management functions to enhance performance.
Tactile Mobility provides a software suite which uses a vehicles’ built-in, non-visual sensors to collect and analyse data about vehicle/road dynamics, enabling smart and connected vehicles to monitor road surfaces as well as modelling vehicle systems performance and road conditions. In-vehicle, real-time data includes attributes such as available grip level, which signifies the specific vehicle/road traction limits.
Tactile Mobility’s VehicleDNA is an anonymised representation of each vehicle’s systems characteristics, including suspensions, powertrain, braking efficiency and tire health, while the company's SurfaceDNA maps road attributes and conditions offering an in-depth view of driving environments to better anticipate road conditions ahead and pre-configure vehicle systems.
The two companies have been working together over an extended period of time. Cooperation between the BMW Group and Tactile Mobility began through the BMW Startup Garage, the Venture Client unit of the BMW Group.
“We are appreciative of the support the BMW Startup Garage and the entire team at the BMW Group has given us and look forward to working together to provide smart and connected vehicles with a more comprehensive picture of the driving environments around them, which will now include the tactile sense,” said Rani Plaut, Executive board member of Tactile Mobility. “Our dedicated team has been working towards this type of commercial integration for years, and we’re excited to see the results implemented in the BMW Group’s fleet of vehicles.”
