Data Items

Using telematics devices, cars can distribute data for many purposes for an end-user. Car data is created by electrical sensors linked to the ECU or Electronic Control Unit. An ECU is linked to an onboard telematics device which transmits live data. A user in a central location receives this data over the air, with an end interface that can be configured in a way that works for their business.Many attributes of a car can be transmitted live or at set intervals using GPS and mobile data networks.

Using car data, fleet management companies analyse their vehicles to help reduce costs, prevent maintenance issues and schedule service appointments in advance. Governments and councils can use car technical data to better manage traffic. Insurance companies can have real-world use cases for their customers and the introduction of smart cities with connected cars results in more efficient infrastructure. Most importantly, emergency services receive live vehicle data to accurately locate an accident, with automatic triggers to call ambulances if the vehicle senses it is in a severe accident.

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Our connected car data catalogue grows with every new manufacturer. Explore the variety of data items available via our Auto API.

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Our data catalog on Airtable contains technical information specific to each data category, including its properties and their production availability.

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What Is Battery Level Data?

The cells used in an EV battery pack are similar to those in everyday devices. Each cell's charge level is important for the safety and operation of a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). Battery level data is retrieved using onboard sensors in battery packs. This data feeds into a vehicle’s ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and can be transmitted to an end-user in fleet management organisations, or even the manufacturer to determine the status of the battery pack.

Use Cases

Electric vehicles are well-established in the market today. With government bans on sales of combustion engine vehicles as early as 2030, companies use battery data for many reasons.

The better understanding of a vehicle's battery level, the more it can be efficiently charged. Users can plan charges in advance if operating daily. For instance, at the end of a shift vehicles can be plugged in in advance for the next shift.

Battery level data is used to work out the battery-only range of a BEV or PHEV. The distance covered and battery charge used is similar to an mpg or l/100km rating for a combustion-powered vehicle. Working out the remaining driving distance before the charge gets too low.

Fleet managers can decide which Electric Vehicle to choose from. If battery level data is fed into an advanced API it can calculate how much charge is left at the end of a shift. If the charge is remaining, it may not be worth going for a higher capacity battery and can save company costs by purchasing a smaller vehicle.

When the battery level is too low, the vehicle will switch off to prevent battery voltage drop. The battery level data is sent across using mobile data networks to let users know if the level drops too low. This information can be fed to the drivers to make sure they stop and recharge.