Among the more controversial technology innovations that’s captivated developers and consumers alike is the fully automated vehicle. Though it may be a while before self-driving cars own the road, Dr. Alla Hilal (pictured), director of innovation at Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc., is working toward fostering a more holistic integration between driver and machine.

“You spend about 4.5 years of your life in a vehicle. … If we are able to make your time in a vehicle more productive, then you get to enjoy that ride a little bit more,” Hilal said.

IMS works to improve the driving experience by connecting with both driver and car to give users actionable insights in real time. “If we give you this information early on, you’re incentivized to change your behavior a little bit to prolong the lifetime of your vehicle,” she said.

Hilal spoke with Rebecca Knight (@knightrm) and James Kobielus (@jameskobielus), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the PentahoWorld event in Orlando, Florida. They discussed automation in the auto industry and how Pentaho is helping IMS work toward a more streamlined union between driver and car. (* Disclosure below.)

Accelerating toward automation with better data

To share these helpful insights with customers, IMS collects data via GPS, mileage counts or mobile trackers. They can then use that data to assist in improving the driving experience, as well as to collect service payments for itself, as well as it partners.

“We work with insurance companies … governments … fleet managers and fleet insurance companies. … [They all] … need data in a different form,” Hilal said. With information coming from various devices and going out to multiple endpoints, the work IMS does requires a platform that can seamlessly collect and distribute information.

Pentaho supports Hilal and her team in capturing and organizing the data it receives from these different sources so that it can be efficiently presented for customer, partner entity and internal use. “Pentaho has helped us accelerate the extract, transform and load process, especially as we’re collecting data from diverse sources and heterogeneous platforms — whether it’s from [on-board diagnostics], mobile phone, or even from the vehicles themselves,” she said.

The insights Pentaho helps IMS provide its customers has enabled the company to offer a unique opportunity for improving driver safety and saving money. “[We] show analytics, rate your performance on the trip, highlight potential red flags for and show areas of improvement. … We always focus on positive feedback to help you … change your driving for the better,” Hilal said.

Though she doesn’t see the self-driving car as a prominent fixture for a few decades, Hilal is excited to be improving the state of driving for IMS customers and everyone on the road. “Pentaho definitely helped us adapt fast to the requirements of our clients,” she concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of PentahoWorld. (* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for PentahoWorld. Neither Hitachi Vantara, the event sponsor, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE