AutoMat · Project

Open Marketplace Turning Raw Vehicle Sensor Data Into Cross-Industry Business Services

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Every modern car generates about 4,000 data signals per second — think speed, braking, temperature, wipers, traction — but almost none of that information leaves the vehicle. AutoMat built a kind of "app store" for car data: a marketplace where automakers can share anonymized vehicle data with companies in completely different industries. Imagine a weather service getting real-time rain intensity from millions of windshield wipers, or a road maintenance company knowing exactly where potholes are. The project created a common data format so that data from different car brands could be used by anyone, not just the carmaker.

By the numbers

~4,000

CAN-Bus signals processed per second in modern vehicles

EUR 4,460,269

EU funding for marketplace development

consortium partners across 6 countries

67%

industry partners in the consortium

business case demonstrators tested with industrial partners

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Billions of data points flow through connected vehicles every day, but almost none of it reaches companies outside the automotive industry that could use it. Weather services, road authorities, insurers, and city planners are data-starved while cars silently collect exactly what they need. The missing piece was a trusted, privacy-compliant marketplace where vehicle data could be shared across industries without each company needing separate deals with every car manufacturer.

The solution

What was built

AutoMat built an open Vehicle Big Data Marketplace with a Common Vehicle Information Model that standardizes anonymized data from different car manufacturers. Two demonstrators were tested in industrial environments covering meteorological and enterprise service scenarios, with 16 deliverables produced including case studies and final value-added service implementations.

Audience

Who needs this

Meteorological services and hyperlocal weather startups needing ground-level sensor densityRoad infrastructure authorities and highway maintenance companiesMotor insurance companies and telematics providers building usage-based productsSmart city departments managing traffic flow and road safetyFleet management companies needing cross-OEM vehicle analytics

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Weather and Climate Services

any

Target: Meteorological data providers and hyperlocal weather startups

If you are a weather service provider struggling with gaps in ground-level weather data — this project developed a vehicle data marketplace that turns millions of cars into mobile weather stations. Real-time wiper activity, temperature sensors, and traction data from vehicles feed into hyperlocal forecasts. The system was demonstrated with meteorological service scenarios during the 36-month project.

Road Infrastructure and Maintenance

enterprise

Target: Road authorities, highway maintenance companies, and smart city departments

If you are a road maintenance operator spending heavily on manual road inspections — this project built an open data ecosystem where anonymized vehicle sensor data reveals road surface conditions, pothole locations, and hazard zones automatically. With about 4,000 signals per second from each connected vehicle, the data density far exceeds traditional survey methods.

Insurance and Fleet Management

mid-size

Target: Motor insurers, telematics providers, and fleet operators

If you are a fleet manager or insurer who needs better driving behavior and road condition data — this project created a Common Vehicle Information Model that standardizes data across different car manufacturers. Instead of building separate integrations with each OEM, you access one marketplace. The consortium included 8 industry partners led by Volkswagen, validating the approach at scale.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license this vehicle data marketplace technology?

The project was funded with EUR 4,460,269 in EU contribution under an Innovation Action scheme. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the coordinator (Volkswagen AG) and relevant consortium partners. As a closed project, existing IP may be available for licensing or further development.

Can this scale to millions of vehicles across multiple car brands?

The core design goal was cross-OEM compatibility. AutoMat developed a Common Vehicle Information Model specifically to make data from different manufacturers accessible through one marketplace. With Volkswagen as coordinator and 12 partners across 6 countries, the architecture was designed for cross-border, multi-brand scale.

Who owns the intellectual property and how is it licensed?

IP was generated across a 12-partner consortium led by Volkswagen AG. The project explicitly aimed to create an open ecosystem, suggesting parts of the platform may be available under open or permissive terms. Specific licensing arrangements should be discussed directly with the consortium leads.

How does this handle data privacy and GDPR compliance?

The project specifically addressed customer privacy concerns as a core design element. Vehicle data is anonymized before entering the marketplace through the Common Vehicle Information Model. The objective explicitly states that applied ignorance of customer privacy was a barrier the project aimed to overcome.

What was actually demonstrated and tested?

Demonstrators were implemented in two business cases and tested with industrial partners and service providers. The demo deliverables included final value-added services, particularly around meteorological data and extended enterprise services. Public case study reports were produced.

How hard is it to integrate with existing systems?

The Common Vehicle Information Model serves as a standardized interface to the marketplace, meaning service providers do not need custom integrations per OEM. The open ecosystem design and the Open Service Contest run during the project suggest third-party integration was a priority.

Is there ongoing support or further development?

The project closed in March 2018. However, the consortium included major players like Volkswagen and 8 industry partners total, suggesting commercial interest in continuing the work. Based on available project data, follow-up activities would need to be verified with the coordinator.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavily industry-driven consortium: 8 out of 12 partners (67%) come from industry, with Volkswagen AG — one of the world's largest automakers — leading as coordinator. The partnership spans 6 countries (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland), giving it strong European coverage. Two universities and two research organizations provide the technical backbone, while 2 SMEs bring agility. For a business considering this technology, the Volkswagen involvement signals serious automotive-sector commitment, and the cross-country spread suggests the marketplace was designed to work across European regulatory environments from day one.

VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTCoordinator · DE
INSTITUT FÜR ANGEWANDTE SYSTEMTECHNIK BREMEN GMBHparticipant · DE
METEOLOGIX AGparticipant · CH
RENAULT SASparticipant · FR
CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPAparticipant · IT
ATOS SPAIN SAparticipant · ES
ERPC EUROPEAN RESEARCH PROGRAMME CONSULTING GMBHparticipant · DE
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DORTMUNDparticipant · DE
INSTITUT MINES-TELECOMparticipant · FR
TRIALOGparticipant · FR
HERE GLOBAL B.V.participant · NL

How to reach the team

Volkswagen AG (Germany) coordinated the project. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the right contact within the consortium.

Order a report on this consortium See VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how vehicle data marketplace technology could benefit your business? SciTransfer can connect you with the AutoMat consortium team and help you evaluate licensing or collaboration options.

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