The collaboration will equip BMW vehicles with the ability to analyse the road surface attributes under their tires, enabling detection of road conditions.

Tactile Mobility develops software that uses a vehicle's non-visual sensors, including wheel speed, wheel angle, RPM and gear position to help smart and autonomous vehicles "feel" vehicle-road dynamics and road conditions.

In October Tactile Mobility said it secured $9 million in funding from a group of investors that included Porsche.

The cooperation between BMW and Tactile Mobility began through the BMW Startup Garage, the venture client unit of the BMW Group.

(Reporting by Tova Cohen; Editing by Steven Scheer)