Bentley Systems Inc. announced Apr. 9 it’s gained new asset analytics capabilities by using Imagery Insights from Google Maps Platform to rapidly detect and analyze roadway conditions. These new capabilities are part of Bentley’s Blyncsy software that applies AI to crowdsourced imagery for automated asset detection and inspection. They’ll help infrastructure professionals improve roadway maintenance and support disaster recovery.
Bentley and Google partnered in October 2024 to integrate Google’s geospatial content with Bentley’s infrastructure engineering software to improve the way infrastructure is designed, built and operated.
The Imagery Insights combination of Google Street View, Vertex AI, and Blyncsy will enhance the ability of municipal transportation departments to identify areas of concern, and analyze changes in roadway conditions and transportation assets over time. For example, Integrating Google Street View’s global panoramic imagery lets Bentley provide detailed asset analyses along with visual references, while Google’s Vertex AI adds the ability to build and maintain models to alert transportation agencies of changes to infrastructure assets before they become safety hazards.
“We have a history of leadership in applying repurposed imagery for roadway maintenance, and adding Google's 360-degree imagery and AI will further enhance the value Bentley provides to transportation departments and engineering firms globally,” says Mark Pittman, director of Transportation AI at Bentley. “The expansion of our relationship with Google will enable us to further develop our growing infrastructure asset analytics capabilities—initially in the transportation sector with other industries to follow.”
Blyncsy is part of Bentley Asset Analytics, a portfolio of products that generate insights into the condition of existing infrastructure assets to optimize performance. Google’s Imagery Insights will be generally available in Blyncsy in 2025.
“Businesses and cities have long relied on the fresh and comprehensive information from our maps to get insights about the world,” adds Yael Maguire, VP and GM for Google Maps and Google Earth. “As our strategic partner, Bentley combines infrastructure solutions with Google’s AI and mapping technologies, like Vertex AI and Street View, to bring analytics to public and private sector users, who need mobility insights for making more informed decisions.”
