Even with recent innovations in steering, traction and braking systems, drivers still regularly face dangerous weather-related road conditions. INRIX has released INRIX Road Weather, which provides information on road conditions, including updated alerts every 15 minutes.
“Unlike traditional weather services, INRIX Road Weather provides information on the roads themselves, including type of precipitation, surface conditions and visibility, among others,” the company stated. “It is the first system to use real-time data from connected vehicles to report road conditions and alert other drivers of potentially dangerous situations. Road Weather is available today to automotive and enterprise customers in North America and Europe.”
According to the company, weather-related accidents have a huge impact on travelers around the world, leading to:
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7,000 U.S. and 8,000 European weather-related auto accident fatalities each year
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$18 billion in commercial losses caused by weather conditions
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25% of U.S. accidents and 30% in Europe are weather related
Despite aggressive improvements in safety systems, the best thing drivers can do is to avoid dangerous road conditions completely, but that's not always possible, the company said. Leveraging a broad set of public and private data sources, real-time vehicle sensor data, and forecast modeling technology from Global Weather Corporation (GWC), INRIX Road Weather keeps drivers and their vehicles informed of dangerous road conditions ahead.
"INRIX has been focused on making driving not only more efficient, but also safer," said Bryan Mistele, founder and chief executive officer. "Road Weather is another innovative next step that continues our work to use massive amounts of big data and leading-edge technology to make connected cars safer and cities smarter."
The road condition information collected by INRIX is analyzed and transmitted to other vehicles and mobile applications giving drivers information on whether they should adjust their route or driving behavior well ahead of the problem, the company said. “Road Weather can also help public transportation and road maintenance agencies be more efficient applying resources. Additionally, it can assist emergency service personnel in managing traffic flow before an accident occurs,” according to the company.
INRIX developed Road Weather in collaboration with GWC. "Global Weather Corporation has pioneered the global use of hyperlocal weather models to create forecasts even specific enough for vehicle applications. We are partnering with INRIX to leverage the power of real-time connected vehicle data that can further enhance forecast accuracy and coverage, which will ultimately improve driver safety," stated Mark Flolid, chief executive officer, GWC.
