Bentley Systems to use Google geospatial data in new partnership

Google’s vice president and general manager of geospatial applications Yael Maguire, left, discusses a partnership with Bentley Systems alongside Bentley’s chief technology officer Julian Moette. (Image: Mitchell Keller)

Through the partnership, Bentley software users and developers can use Google Maps geospatial content, including Google’s Photorealistic 3D Tiles, to aid spatial context and immersive 3D experiences in digital workflows.

The partnership was announced at Bentley’s annual Year In Infrastructure (YII) event held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from 8-9 October.

Making the announcement at YII was Bentley CEO Nicholas Cumins. Bentley chief technology officer Julian Moette was later joined by Yael Maguire Google vice president and general manager of mass platforms and geo sustainability.

“All of this information is available in Google Maps platform and in products like Google Earth and Google Earth Engine, which help researchers and organizations track and measure changes on the earth surface,” explained Maguire, who noted the partnership will align Bentley’s suite of products and data specific to infrastructure into a comprehensive geospatial space powered by Google.

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He added, “It can transform workflows for architects, engineers, and urban planners. We’re excited to partner with Bentley to bring powerful geospatial context and capabilities that can transform how you improve how infrastructure is designed, built, and operated with data.”

Bentley Systems CEO Nicholas Cumins, on what he said was his 100th day in the chair, announces new AI initiatives for the company at the annual Year In Infrastructure event in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Image: Mitchell Keller)

Bentley said the partnership aligns closely with its acquisition of Cesium, a foundational open platform for creating 3D geospatial applications. Cesium is the creator of the 3D Tiles open standard used by Google.

Cumins said, “Google’s massive scale of geospatial data is unmatched when this data is combined with Bentley infrastructure engineering expertise.

“The result is an ecosystem where data can flow seamlessly. Providing users with the most comprehensive and actionable geospatial insights available, consider a large urban development project where multiple infrastructure systems are used roads, bridges, energies and water networks that must be coordinated across various stakeholders.”

Bentley is also collaborating with Google Cloud to deliver AI-driven insights for asset analytics.

Financial details for the partnership were not shared.