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Key Concepts

This guide will dive deeper into the core concepts of DIMO, which will help developers better understand the entire DIMO tech stack, such as the permissions management flows, getting telemetry data, and building stateful AI agents.

DIMO acts as an extensible, multi-faceted platform for secure access to vehicle and mobility data, empowering organizations to turn real-time vehicle signals and on-the-road events into actionable intelligence. Its flexible architecture supports a comprehensive data ecosystem where verifiable credentials establish authoritative truth, all while upholding enterprise-grade user privacy and compliance standards.

Developer Ecosystem​

Developer Console​

The DIMO Developer Console is your main entrypoint into the DIMO Developer ecosystem. This is where developers can manage their API keys, DIMO Connect configurations, create and test AI agents, set up webhooks, and more.

To get started, just create an account and create a Developer License.

Developer License​

A DIMO Developer License is what enables developers to build on and integrate with the platform. Each license has a unique name on the DIMO Network, and more importantly, a unique clientId that starts with 0x.

The details of your license are publicly viewable to anyone via our open Identity API, but this does NOT include private information like your email address or API keys.

Identity & Permissions​

Permissions & Consent Management: SACD​

On DIMO, the Service Access Contract Definition (SACD) is the novel permissions contract that enables users to publicly declare which data they elect to share with a given developer. In the same way, it is how developers request data from a user. This is one of the main features of DIMO that sets it apart from all other vehicle telemetry or agentic platforms – there's a robust privacy layer built-in, and SACD is that privacy layer.

Enterprise customers and developers gain frictionless, secure pathways to request and manage data access directly from vehicle owners, ensuring all interactions are fully auditable and aligned with evolving global data protection and privacy regulations. The consent framework is purpose-built to provide both transparency and control, critical for organizations operating at scale in highly regulated environments.

Most simply, SACD enables this:

  • Developer proposes: "Can I have your vehicle's current location, past location, and all of its telemetry data?"

  • User responds: "Yes, you can have all of that data."

  • Anyone can audit and verify: Did this user share all of this data with this developer?

If a user elects not to share their vehicle data with a developer, then that developer cannot access their data. Here, DIMO enables developers to create compelling applications and autonomous vehicle agents that users will want to share their data with.

DIMO Connect​

Also known as: Login with DIMO (LIWD)

DIMO Connect offers a robust user interface that is tightly integrated with our consent management and privacy engine (SACD).

Available as either an open source Client SDK or as a simple redirect URL, DIMO Connect is the frontend component that enables developers to implement the SACD permissions contract for requesting user data. Your users sign in with an email address and a passkey or one-time-passcode, and grant you permissions to their data.

Learn more about getting vehicle permissions using DIMO Connect.

Vehicle Data​

Signals​

Real-time, granular signals from diverse and federated vehicle data sources are consistently normalized and persisted across highly-available, encrypted DIMO storage nodes. This architecture guarantees data integrity, promotes interoperability, and ensures operational reliability for mission-critical mobility applications.

Learn more about getting vehicle signals using Telemetry API.

Events​

Raw signal data is enhanced and contextualized into high-fidelity events by certified data providers, enabling enterprises to rapidly detect and respond to significant on-road occurrences. This event pipeline accelerates insights—such as accident detection, geofence violations, and service requirements—empowering organizations to build responsive, event-driven services with ease.

Learn more about getting vehicle events using Telemetry API.

Segments​

Segments represent trip data from DIMO-connected vehicles, serving as the "trips" component of the Telemetry API. Developers can retrieve segmented trip information with precise start and end times, duration, and ongoing status. Segments are detected using multiple mechanisms—including ignition-based detection, frequency analysis, and change point detection—ensuring reliable trip identification across diverse vehicle types and data availability scenarios. This enables applications to analyze driving patterns, calculate trip metrics, and build comprehensive mobility insights from vehicle activity data.

Learn more about getting vehicle segments using Telemetry API.

Attestations​

DIMO’s credentialing infrastructure enables trusted data providers to issue tamper-evident, cryptographically-verifiable attestations on critical vehicle attributes and lifecycle records—including the following:

  • Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
  • Odometer readings
  • Vehicle health status
  • Proof of position

This approach delivers a foundational trust layer, facilitating compliance and secure data exchange across complex automotive and mobility ecosystems. Learn more about getting proof of data using Attestation API.

Now that you understand some of the core concepts on DIMO, you can start learning more about what types of applications or intelligent agents you can build.