When I first traveled to Israel to meet with Ben Volkow and Avner Cohen, the co-founders of otonomo, I was immediately impressed not just by their technology, but by their ready-to-take-on-the-world attitudes.
These two self-proclaimed serial entrepreneurs, who set out to create disruptive technologies, are a perfect fit to partner with Delphi. We embrace disruption because it pushes us to stay on the edge. To aggressively fight complacency.
And better yet, the data platform they have created to safely exchange car-generated data, was a perfect fit for our existing data portfolio. Simply put, otonomo created a cloud-based marketplace for the massive amount of data, bundled and offered to various service providers. What does that mean?
It means we can now offer a way for mobility providers to create a revenue stream from data.
That’s a pretty bold statement because everybody talks about data, but very few have figured how to commercialize it. There is a reason so many technology companies are suddenly wildly interested in the automotive market – and it’s money.
It’s all about the data. 
This is no surprise to us. We have been working in this field since cars started generating data. We made a substantial move when we acquired Control-Tec, another data-driven company. Control-Tec’s software is able to detect and pinpoint issues in vehicle systems before an issue can even arise. For OEMs this could mean zero recalls.
Once an issue is detected, an OEM needs a way to correct the issue. Over-the-Air (OTA) updates are the best way to do that. So, we recently acquired Movimento, a company that specializes in just that. The applications go beyond just fixing a problem. Upgrades to software systems can be sent via OTA – installing new tech in older cars. Wouldn’t you like it if the value of your car could be increased a year after you drove it off the lot simply because a new system was updated in your car – and you didn’t have to lift a finger?
So, when we combine the power of Control-Tec, Movimento and now otonomo – we are able to offer a complete, end-to-end data management solution for our customers. They will be able to reduce warranty and recall costs, improve security patch updates, install new features and functionalities to cars after they have left the lot as well as increase loyalty and satisfaction to consumers through intelligent use of data via customized service offerings.
Some businesses say cash is king. At Delphi, we say data is king. Data-driven analytics is at the heart of any good business – and ours is no different.