KIRKLAND, Wash., Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Even with recent innovations in steering, traction and braking systems, drivers still regularly face dangerous weather-related road conditions. Today, INRIX announced INRIX Road Weather, which provides critical 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. 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.

Weather-related accidents have a huge impact on travelers around the world, leading to:

• 7,000 U.S.¹ and 8,000 European² weather-related auto accident fatalities each year
• $18 billion in commercial losses caused by weather conditions
• 25% of US accidents and 30% in Europe are weather related³

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. 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 of INRIX. "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 important and timely information on whether they should adjust their route or driving behavior well ahead of the problem. INRIX 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.

INRIX developed Road Weather in collaboration with GWC, the world's most accurate temperature forecaster in 2013 and 2014, as reported by independent analyst ForecastWatch. Combining the data available from in-vehicle sensors with GWC's algorithms to accurately predict temperature and precipitation on the road, INRIX Road Weather can alert drivers to dangerous situations before they happen.

"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.

INRIX Road Weather is available now for automakers, mobile application developers and public sector agencies, and will soon be available in the INRIX mobile app. For more information please visit INRIX.com.

About INRIX
INRIX is one of the fastest growing big data technology companies in the world. The company leverages big data analytics to reduce the individual, economic and environmental toll of traffic congestion. Through cutting-edge data intelligence and predictive traffic technologies, INRIX helps leading automakers, fleets, governments and news organizations make it easier for drivers to navigate their world. Our vision is simple – to solve traffic, empower drivers, inform planning and enhance commerce. Whether through an in-car or smartphone navigation application, a local newscast or our INRIX Traffic app, our up-to-the-minute traffic information and other driver services help millions of drivers save time, fuel and frustration. INRIX delivers traffic and driving-related insight, as well as sophisticated analytical tools and services across six industries covering nearly five million miles (7.9 million km) of road in 42 countries. For more information visit us at INRIX.com or download our INRIX XD Traffic App for iOS and Android.

About Global Weather Corporation
To serve a world connected by information, Global Weather Corporation® (GWC) is transforming how weather forecasts are created, delivered, and used. GWC's artificial intelligence systems process the world's best weather data into forecasts that have been independently validated as the most accurate available anywhere (by ForecastWatch, www.bit.ly/1HHncFd). Our scalable web services deliver this information on demand for any global location, automatically configuring it to match the needs of each business and device (such as vehicles) we support. Our customers are large and small companies; we improve how they serve their customers, and make their operations more effective. For further information, visit www.globalweathercorp.com.

¹ 10-year averages from 2002 to 2012 analyzed by Booz Allen Hamilton, based on NHTSA data
² http://etsc.eu/wp-content/uploads/Briefing-Serious-Injury-Target_29-June-Update.pdf 
³ 10-year averages from 2002 to 2012 analyzed by Booz Allen Hamilton, based on NHTSA data

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SOURCE INRIX

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