Amazon Web Services Inc. is looking to play an expanded role in the development of connected vehicles. The company said today it has partnered with BMW Group to create an entirely new and customizable cloud software offering that helps to simplify the way data is distributed and managed from millions of connected cars.

The new software is designed to serve as the basis of BMW’s next-generation, cloud-based vehicle data platform, though it will also be made available to other automakers that want to better integrate vehicle data to accelerate application development.

AWS explained that it co-developed the software alongside BMW’s engineering and development teams. It works by collecting vehicle signals and fleet intelligence data from connected vehicles, which is then securely processed and routed via the cloud.

AWS’ strong security ensures that this data is protected and processed in-line with the highest data protection and privacy standards. As such, only BMW’s internal domain experts, such as vehicle application developers, fleet managers, data scientists and artificial intelligence and business intelligence experts, can access the vehicle-generated data. Access is provided via self-service mechanism that continuously gathers streamed vehicle data while monitoring the health of each source.

Once the data is sent to the cloud, BMW’s developers can then take advantage of AWS’ data analytics, machine learning, database, AI development and storage tools to create new applications and features for connected cars.

Nicolai Krämer, vice president of Vehicle Connectivity Platforms at BMW, said the company’s next generation of connected vehicles, “Neue Klasse,” will be able to process roughly three times the volume of data compared to existing cars on the road today. “Together with AWS, we will continue to create innovative solutions that enable us to develop and deliver new data-driven functions to customers worldwide, even faster.”

The modern can has transformed into a software platform, said Holger Mueller of Constellation Research Inc., and due to this it requires both connectivity and smarter data management. “It’s good to see the collaboration between AWS and BMW on this, creating a platform for gathering and managing more data that will ultimately lead to a better experience for owners of connected vehicles,” the analyst said.

Though BMW was involved in creating the software, AWS is planning to make it available to other vehicle makers soon as part of its AWS for Automotive offering, where it will serve as the foundation of a new generation of software-centric cars.

Image: AWS