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.

Full Data Catalog

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 Vehicle Ignition Data?

Petrol cars have spark plugs which release an electrical charge to ignite the fuel housed in the combustion chamber. Diesel engines do not use spark plugs; instead, ignition is a process of compressing the mixture of air and fuel to produce the spark without any electrical aid. Ultimately this is the reason why diesel engines are more fuel-efficient as the combustion process does not require assistance.

This ignition data is used to work out the ignition timing to run an engine efficiently and be used to work out if a car is switched on or off. Telematics data can be used to inform fleet managers, insurers and other services to determine the status of the vehicle (if it is switched on or off).

Use Cases

Vehicles may be accidentally left on, and drivers can be informed they have left a vehicle running or on the accessory setting of an ignition which may end up losing charge for the battery. Preventing mistakes such as a dead battery for a vehicle is important in fleets, as it saves costs. Each time a vehicle is being repaired or out of action, it costs the company money. Ignition data can also be used to work out if unnecessary fuel is being wasted with the ignition being on whilst the vehicle is stationary.