Location-based technologies are no longer only for cutting edge applications. Today, they are in nearly everything we do, with the technology being widely available and rapidly advancing in its capabilities. That said, while location-based solutions are growing in popularity, the expectation for their accuracy and reliability is also on the rise. GIS industry players are forming strategic initiatives and navigation providers are looking at new data sources, including global satellite systems, to inform solutions and meet those expectations – a challenge especially as consumer behaviors, and traffic trends, have shifted throughout the pandemic.

Connected vehicle data is a powerful source of information to consider in augmenting your GIS and Mapping strategy in 2022. Wejo analyzes data from more than 10 million active connected vehicles to provide coverage-dense insights into where and how cars are moving out on the roads. It can help set you apart from competitors and deliver a better experience for users, while cutting down on global congestion and transforming travel for the better.

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How connected vehicle data can help you in 2022

Better understand a location: its people and potential

Origin-to-destination data, a key piece of the broader connected vehicle data solution, shows where vehicle journeys are beginning and ending and is a reliable source of visibility into how consumers are behaving in or around a given point of interest. In analyzing connected vehicle data from 2021, for example, we saw there were 7 times more visitors traveling to Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Memorial Day 2021 compared to 2020, yet the distances those visitors traveled to get there did not change. Vehicle data can also pinpoint if vehicles are setting out to a given destination or stopping at it as part of another journey, say in the case of a coffee shop. This kind of insight can be what sets you apart from others when it comes to providing granular information on not only traffic at a given location but also where travelers are coming from and likely heading, and what’s nearby that they may be interested in.

Uncover new routes and analyze journey times by fuel type

Connected vehicle data is unique in its ability to show real-time insight on where vehicles are traveling, including situations where new roads are being used. In many cases, the data highlights new roads and waypoints faster than most mapping solutions because the information is coming directly from the cars traveling those roads, not requiring the time satellite maps often take to update. A Wejo customer found using vehicle data to inform their data strategy helped recognize 30% more roads then prior mapping solutions. You can also look to connected vehicle data to analyze how different types of vehicles are traveling. Where are trucks most likely to go, and how might you avoid those routes to provide passenger vehicles with a safer route? Electric vehicles may follow their own pattern, and, since they require specific charging options, you can customize navigation to those customers more appropriately using connected vehicle data.

Gain real-time insight to road incidents and the impact of weather events

Mapping solutions are measured not only on their accuracy of getting users to their destinations using the shortest routes mile-wise, but also in the safest and fastest way possible. This requires identifying areas of congestion or road incidents in real-time and providing drivers with alternative routes that avoid danger and mitigate delays. Connected vehicle data can illustrate how vehicles are being impacted from backups and congestion to what alternative routes are being taken. In our recent study of the February 2021 winter storm in Texas that left many without power, connected vehicle data was able to show an increase in people turning on their cars but staying stationary, suggesting many were using their cars as a power source to stay warm. We also saw how the storm impacted roadways with many individuals flooding the airport freeway. Information like this can be critical in helping drivers in-real time and predicting behaviors that will happen when future events occur.

Read the full ebook to see all of the 2021 trends.