Bentley boosts road inspection with Google AI tech

LAS VEGAS - Bentley Systems, Incorporated (NASDAQ:BSY), an infrastructure engineering software company currently trading near its 52-week low but maintaining impressive gross profit margins according to InvestingPro data, has introduced new asset analytics capabilities incorporating Google Maps Platform's Imagery Insights. Announced at Google Cloud Next 2025, these enhancements to Bentley's Blyncsy product are designed to facilitate rapid detection and analysis of roadway conditions using AI and crowdsourced imagery.

This strategic collaboration, initially formed in October 2024, combines Google's high-resolution Street View imagery and Vertex AI with Bentley's software, aiming to improve infrastructure design, construction, and operation. The integration enables transportation agencies and engineering consultants to more effectively monitor and maintain roadways, as well as expedite post-disaster recovery processes.

Blyncsy's use of Google Street View imagery allows for detailed asset analysis, providing visual references for condition assessment. Vertex AI's modeling capabilities alert authorities to infrastructure changes that could pose safety risks. These tools not only support regular maintenance but also offer a cost-efficient method for rapid damage assessment in disaster-stricken areas, potentially accelerating community rebuilding efforts.

Mark Pittman, Bentley's director of Transportation AI, highlighted the company's leadership in repurposing imagery for roadway maintenance. He emphasized that Google's panoramic imagery and AI will amplify the value Bentley delivers globally. The partnership is set to expand Bentley's infrastructure asset analytics capabilities, starting with the transportation sector and eventually branching into other industries.

Yael Maguire, Google's vice president and general manager for Google Maps Platform & Google Earth, stated that the combination of Bentley's infrastructure solutions with Google's AI and mapping technologies provides powerful analytics for decision-makers in the public and private sectors.

The Blyncsy product, part of Bentley Asset Analytics, offers insights into the condition of infrastructure assets to optimize performance. Google's Imagery Insights is expected to be available in Blyncsy within 2025. The company's consistent profitability over the last twelve months underscores its ability to deliver innovative solutions. InvestingPro analysis reveals 10+ additional key insights about Bentley Systems' financial health and market position.

Bentley Systems, since 1984, has served infrastructure professionals worldwide, providing software for design, construction, and operation across various sectors. The company's digital twin solutions aim to unlock the value of data for project delivery and asset performance enhancement. While currently trading at relatively high valuation multiples, detailed analysis of Bentley Systems' market position and growth potential is available through InvestingPro's comprehensive research reports, which provide expert insights on over 1,400 US stocks.

This news report is based on a press release statement.

In other recent news, Bentley Systems Inc. reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings, revealing an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.21, which did not meet the forecasted $0.22. The company also experienced a revenue shortfall, reporting $349.8 million against an expected $351.35 million. Despite these misses, Bentley's revenue showed a 13% year-over-year increase, largely due to a 16% growth in subscription revenues. Additionally, the company introduced OpenSight Plus, its first AI-powered infrastructure engineering application, marking a strategic move towards integrating AI in its offerings.

Goldman Sachs recently downgraded Bentley Systems from a Neutral to a Sell rating, lowering the price target from $51.00 to $42.00, following the company's earnings announcement and future guidance. The downgrade reflects a recalibration of expectations based on Bentley's fiscal outlook and ongoing challenges in the China market. Oppenheimer also adjusted its rating for Bentley Systems, moving it to Perform from Outperform, citing difficulties in identifying growth catalysts in a competitive AI market.

These developments underscore Bentley Systems' solid business model and consistent execution, yet highlight investor concerns over growth potential in the current economic climate. The company's fundamentals remain strong, but analysts from firms like Oppenheimer suggest that investor preference may lean towards companies with higher growth prospects. Bentley Systems projects total revenues for 2025 between $1.461 billion and $1.490 billion, with subscription revenue growth expected to range from 10.5% to 12.5%.

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