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Optibus breaks into smart charging in partnership with CarMedialab

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

Optibus, a leading software platform for planning and operating more efficient, sustainable public transportation networks, has launched a new initiative to break down the silos between electric bus network planning and charging operations. The move will see Optibus partner with CarMedialab, the leading provider for charge management in public transportation, to introduce to the market an end-to-end EV management solution that enables smarter charging and higher-quality, cost-effective EV networks.

The challenge of siloed EV progresses
The siloed nature of EV operational processes has become one of the greatest challenges in planning and operating electric bus services. Charging operations, which span peak shaving, load shifting, energy consumption and prices, and charging status, are monitored and controlled using specialized smart charging software. At the same time, route planning and scheduling for electric buses is performed using its own set of dedicated e-bus scheduling software. 

The impact on services
These silos limit operators’ visibility into how routes and schedules align with and impact charging needs, and vice versa. Consequently, services may be designed with a lack of insight into important charging considerations, like battery status and costs. 

Closing the gap: integrated smart charging solution
Optibus’ move into smart charging will enable those previously siloed processes to finally speak to each other. Combining Optibus’ artificial intelligence and optimization algorithms, which ensure that plans are operational and cost-effective, with CarMedialab’s ability to monitor charging in real-time, send alerts about charging activity, and automate processes, the integrated solution will span charging plans, energy requirement predictions, cost savings through peak shifting, and reporting integration. 

Benefits for various stakeholders
Overall, the end-to-end EV management solution will create a new level of visibility for a vast array of stakeholders, including agencies, operators, depot managers, operating system providers, energy providers, city planners, government authorities, and regulators, into how charging and service plans impact each other, as well as enable the industry to make data-driven decisions about planning, operating, and implementing changes to electric bus networks. 

“Developing smart charging strategies is new territory for many public transportation operators. We are proud to be partnering with a seasoned and ground-breaking leader in this field, CarMedialab, to bring their real-world implementation experience and technology to our clients and make it easier to address the entire life cycle of EV management,” said Lior Krupsky, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Optibus. 

“We’ve known Optibus for years, but through our new joint projects we’ve learned how well we complement each other. It’s exciting to work together towards the global rollout of our smart charge management application,” said Heiko Bauer, CEO at CarMedialab.

Closing the gap in future vehicle development 

Written by admin on . Posted in Automotive Engineering.

How IoT technology will change the test culture
Cost-efficient solutions are a key factor in ensuring competitiveness in the development of future software-based vehicle functions. Due to the disproportionate increase in complexity, their validation and quality assurance is a high priority. In addition, the Corona pandemic shows how fragile current development processes are when local access to vehicle data is not possible. The use of IoT technologies can support the traditional development process and help in the transition to the software-defined vehicle. At the same time, the connection of cloud platforms provides cross-departmental access to test data, which also strengthens cross-domain holistic development, demonstrates synergies, and provides the basis for a sustainable value chain.

The approach presented here divides the phases of validation in terms of test equipment accessibility: local on site, conditional access, inaccessible.

Phase 1 | Local on site

IoT-enabled measurement equipment is installed to complement conventional measurement technology in the first phase. In addition to the vehicle status, this phase documents the functionality of all measurement equipment. Contextual information is thus added. If gateway functionalities are already activated at this stage, extended functions of conventional measurement technology, such as software updates, can also be used and additional added value can be created.

Phase 2 | Conditional access

In the next phase, the scope is extended by shifting the vehicle data acquisition from conventional to IoT-enabled measuring devices, thus freeing up existing resources. As accessibility changes, the need for management will increase. To ensure comparability of data, the scope or selection of data is of particular importance, as is the way in which this data is collected and stored. The shift in data collection also goes hand in hand with cyber security compliance issues.

Phase 3 | Remote access

In the third phase, as new features mature, the amount of vehicle data can be reduced to enable testing in the field with current mobile technologies. Evolving mobile standards and reduced latency pave the way for additional testing of intelligent vehicle-cloud interactions to offload computationally intensive and latency sensitive functions. This represents a bridging technology to the software-defined vehicle, enabling the use of cloud-vehicle loops and various downstream processing chains for efficient use of collected vehicle data.

Joint solution for battery monitoring in electric buses

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

New partnership between volytica diagnostics and CarMedialab
We are pleased to announce that we have signed a binding agreement with volytica diagnostics GmbH, the experienced software provider of battery diagnostic solutions, to further develop condition monitoring of vehicle batteries.

Growth in the electric bus market
With the global electric bus market growing at an unprecedented rate, customers worldwide have come to rely on turnkey solutions provided by market leaders. As the market expands, the need for transparency regarding the most critical wear parts of mobility turnkey solutions, such as batteries, becomes increasingly crucial.

Battery diagnostics solution for vehicle health monitoring
volytica diagnostics GmbH ‘s cutting-edge battery diagnostic solution is designed to address this need, enabling fleet owners to monitor battery health and make well-founded decisions regarding battery maintenance and replacements.

Claudius Jehle, Managing Director of volytica, emphasises: “By working with CarMedialab, we aim to provide fleet owners worldwide with comprehensive insights to ensure optimised performance and increased safety”.

“Our collaboration will improve the seamless collection of battery data in electric buses to monitor vehicle health. The raw data will be transmitted to volytica, where it will be refined and analysed. With the returned results fleet owners are allowed to easily access and display this validated information within their existing monitoring systems”, explains Heiko Bauer, Managing Director of CarMedialab.

Benefits and use cases for fleet owners
This cooperation will empower fleet owners with a range of benefits and use cases, including:

  •  Minimising costs by monitoring warranty conditions.
  • Optimising vehicle availability by detecting battery anomalies and proactively addressing issues.
  • Enhancing fire safety by identifying potential risks and implementing preventive measures.
  • Reducing battery load to extend service life and maximise the return on investment.
  • Determining residual value accurately, enabling efficient fleet management and asset evaluation.

Additionally, we are actively working together on future initiatives such as warranty extension programs and insurance offerings, further enhancing the value proposition for fleet owners.

Unique know-how and experience of both companies
volytica diagnostics GmbH, as a cleantech company based in Dresden, Germany is dedicated to revolutionising battery diagnostics by providing transparent insights into battery health. Their unique and scalable technology enables the analysis of field data transmitted from battery systems, unlocking valuable information regarding degradation, state of health, anomalies, safety risks, and state of charge.

CarMedialab, with over 20 years of experience as a telematics specialist in the automotive industry and the energy sector, brings unparalleled expertise in delivering software solutions for electromobility. Their broad range of services covers telediagnosis, smart charging and developer programs for automotive and mobile applications.

DAKAR mobilite: erster Elektrobus in Senegals öffentlichem Nahverkehr

CarMedialab’s charge management solution widens its appeal on the international stage 

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

Public transport companies in Belgium, Israel and Senegal opt to implement MOBILEcharge
A growing number of public transport companies are choosing INIT’s and CarMedialab’s innovative electromobility solutions. In just a few weeks, three public transport operators from across the world have opted for the charge management system MOBILEcharge from CarMedialab GmbH, a member of the INIT Group. Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles / STIB Brussels (Belgium), DAKAR MOBILITÉ (Senegal) and Ayalon Highways Tel Aviv in cooperation with the Israel Ministry of Transport and Road Safety (Israel) will use MOBILEcharge to control and monitor their charging processes. 

The project in the Senegalese capital Dakar is the INIT Group’s first project in Africa, which means that, with the exception of Antarctica, INIT is now successfully operating on all continents.

Sustainable solutions worldwide
These projects will not only increase sustainability in public transport, but also help to change cities in a sustainable way, for example in Dakar. There, the transport operator DAKAR MOBILITÉ is in the process of electrifying the public bus network with the help of a Bus Rapid Transit project, while at the same time creating measures to combat congestion and pollution. Approximately 150 electric buses will be deployed by 2025, saving 59,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. In the long term, Dakar even wants to charge their bus fleet using 100% solar energy. This is the first project of its kind on the African continent.

In Israel, hundreds of charging points for e-buses will be connected with the smart charge management system in a joint project with the Israel Ministry of Transport and Road Safety and Ayalon Highways. Step by step, numerous charging points will be integrated in the depots throughout the whole country.

Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles (STIB), one of the largest public transport operators in Belgium, recently signed a framework contract for MOBILEcharge. Over the next 10 years, up to 1,000 vehicles and 500 charging points from various manufacturers will be integrated there. By the end of this year, 50 charging points for up to 100 vehicles will be installed at the depot “Marly” and cost-effectively charged using MOBILEcharge.

MOBILEcharge is already being used by many companies in Europe and the USA for smart charge management. However, they not only rely on this powerful tool, but also on CarMedialab’s expertise when it comes to implementation. The company has made a name for itself in setting up and connecting complex system landscapes, is committed to interoperability and is intensively involved in the development of open systems and (VDV) interfaces.

MOBILEcharge – a smart charge management system

With MOBILEcharge, new and existing customers trust in a proven solution that guarantees cost-effective charging and ensures that buses are always available on time, sufficiently charged and preconditioned whilst also avoiding expensive load peaks. To intelligently manage charging processes, the charge management system should be connected to the MOBILE-DMS depot management system, which is where information is available about planned blocks for the next day and associated charging requirements. MOBILEcharge is part of INIT’s integrated product suite for electromobility, eMOBILE. This integrated overall system covers all the operational requirements of e-mobility and ensures that e-buses are introduced economically and operated efficiently.

INIT and CarMedialab lead the way in the field of electromobility
INIT CSO and Deputy CEO Dr. Jürgen Greschner is very proud of these orders and underlines the importance of emission-free public transport:

“The decision makers for ambitious future projects in Brussels, Dakar and Tel Aviv have chosen INIT Group solutions for the electrification of their bus fleets. We are delighted that they have put their trust in us and we look forward to supporting them and other companies in the development and operation of their electric bus fleets. With these orders, the INIT Group is helping pave the way for sustainable mobility and continues to be at the cutting edge of electromobility.”

Do your buses already run energy-efficiently?

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

The sharp rise in energy costs in 2022 and the decline in revenues due to the pandemic are forcing transport companies to examine their processes and cost structures more than ever before. Especially 0since experts predict a further significant increase in electricity prices by 2030. Even the most favorable forecasts assume that electricity prices will remain more expensive than in the years before 2020 due to the global political situation.

Few factors have such a considerable impact on your bus fleet’s energy consumption as your drivers’ driving style. A study by the US Department of Energy shows just how significant the savings potential can be: an aggressive driving style leads to higher fuel consumption of between 10 and 40 percent. At current prices, this can quickly cause costs to spiral. The same applies to stationary vehicles with the engine running. With MOBILEefficiency the INIT Group offers a powerful assistance system for safe and energy-efficient driving that is appropriate for diesel-powered vehicles as well as for electric buses.

MOBILEefficiency: Saving fuel or power by optimizing driving behavior
MOBILEefficiency ensures that:

  • buses are operated economically
  • dwell times with the engine running are avoided
  • the driver is informed directly about events in real time
  • safety increases significantly

Encourage energy-efficient driving with MOBILEefficiency
The on-board computer monitors the vehicle’s data streams such as speed, rpm, acceleration, position, distance travelled and, of course, energy consumption. In addition, identification data is stored that enables an assignment to a specific vehicle, driver, trip, circulation and route. With the help of algorithms, the on-board computer detects dangerous or uneconomical driving styles and provides the driver with real-time feedback on excessive revving, unnecessarily long dwell times with the engine running, heavy acceleration or braking or excessive speed.

The on-board computer transmits the log of the entire journey with all data and events to the central system, where they can also be used anonymously. This data can be used to train staff to drive more economically and more safely in the future. Carrying out this analysis anonymously ensures that individual drivers are not highlighted.Public transport companies can choose different models to use MOBILEefficiency. For example, drivers can take part on a voluntary basis or be encouraged to participate by receiving a percentage of the fuel savings in the form of a bonus.

Increased economic efficiency and safety – the York Region Transit example
The extent to which MOBILEefficiency can increase economic efficiency and safety is demonstrated by a Canadian transport company: York Region Transit (YRT) from the Greater Toronto Area. After MOBILEefficiency was installed on their buses, fuel consumption was reduced by 40 percent in just four months. Unnecessary dwell times were also reduced by nearly 40 percent. In one year, unsafe and uneconomical driving behavior was reduced by 75 percent.

Learn more about the YRT project in the video:

Click here for more energy saving solutions from CarMedialb and the INIT Group:

brussels passengers will use sustainable public transport. image of the atomium statue.

Brussels passengers will use sustainable public transport

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

CarMedialab and INIT will charge the e-bus fleet of STIB in Brussels
STIB Brussels, one of the largest public transport operators in Belgium, recently signed a framework contract for the charge management system MOBILEcharge. During the next 10 years, up to 1,000 vehicles and 500 chargers from various manufacturers will be integrated there. Before the end of this year, 50 charging points for up to 100 vehicles will be installed at the “Marly” depot. The interfaces VDV 463 as well as VDV 261 will be integrated regarding the depot management system and for the preconditioning of the vehicles.

CarMedialab and INIT are looking forward to this project and to provide Brussels’ passengers with a reliable and sustainable public transport in the future.

More information about the benefits of a charge management system in our free document Potential cost savings of a charge management system and at https://www.carmedialab.com/en/public-transport/charge-management/.

blue and red lake houses in aveiro. sitio office interieur cowowrking space. addition expansion to our existing locations.

New office in Aveiro, Portugal

Written by admin on . Posted in General.

In addition to our existing locations in Bruchsal (DE), Neuruppin (DE) and Santa Monica (USA), we have recently expanded to include another location in Aveiro, Portugal. Since the beginning of the year, five of our colleagues have been working there, mainly in the area of software development.  The office is located in the modern co-working space “Sitio Cowork Aveiro“, where also other companies are operating.

We are happy about the support of our Portuguese colleagues to continuously improve and develop our products and software solutions. We are excited about what the future will bring and continue to work on sustainable solutions in the field of e-mobility!

Etas comparison Data Analysis Vehicle Testing

How IoT is evolving classical measurement technology

Written by admin on . Posted in Automotive Engineering.

ETAS GmbH and CarMedialab announce their collaboration – the mission: to combine the strengths of ETAS measurement technology with the potential of the IoT. This provides a new engineering experience in automotive development addressing cost efficiency and sustainability of solutions. In addition, customers will benefit from a powerful, flexible and cost-effective platform at the edge: The Flea 4+ integrated into the ETAS tool chain. This is a win-win situation for the customer, the collaboration and a fertile foundation for new services.

The ideal way to deal with rising gasoline prices

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

Increasing gasoline prices
Who would have thought six months ago how much our gasoline prices would be affected by a major crisis in the middle of Europe? None the less, here we are. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, gasoline prices have been rising rapidly, and unfortunately, it looks like the rest of the world will also be affected by the war raging in our European backyard. Since Russia is one of the biggest energy suppliers when it comes to crude oil, prices have increased by a whopping 42% compared to gasoline prices at the beginning of 2021.

This is how much people spend on gasoline
Share of fuel costs per 1000 km in net wages in percent, Germany

*March 2022: estimation
In fact, a large part of the price of gasoline in Germany is taxes and fees.
(Source:https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/spritpreis-diesel-benzin-steuer-entlastung-1.5545192)

Increased use of public transport
However, the rising gasoline prices also mean that more and more people are switching to public transportation like taking the bus to work. Gasoline prices will remain at an all-time high for the foreseeable future, but you can reduce your gasoline consumption on public transportation with our innovative and cost-effective products. Introducing: MOBILEefficiency. CarMedialab’s driver assistance system MOBILEefficiency records real-world fuel consumption and driving situations during operation and automatically generates reports. These reports provide valuable information on energy demand and fuel consumption based on analysis and empirical values. By informing drivers in real-time when they are braking or accelerating too hard, more energy-efficient driving is achieved and encouraged. For example, York Region Transit in Toronto introduced MOBILEefficiency in December 2017 and has already seen an average 50% reduction in unsafe and inefficient vehicle use.

In addition, MOBILEefficiency helps protect passengers on public transportation. By notifying the driver of unsafe driving, action can be taken to correct it. Warnings appear if the driver makes sudden steering movements or applies the brakes too hard. Driving behavior improves, resulting in satisfied passengers who can be assured that they are being transported from A to B in a safe manner. Long periods of idling are detected, encouraging the driver to turn off the engine and avoid wasting resources. That means you can make sure that you are protecting the environment by assuring not overspending valuable energy.

Save resources
MOBILEefficiency helps to reduce fuel costs. Even if one already uses electric vehicles for public transport, one can still benefit from MOBILEefficiency as one can increase its range. One can even view their energy consumption specifically by vehicle, route, driver and even time of day. The data from our driver assistance system can also be used to create training programs for drivers to improve their driving style in general. Use MOBILEefficiency to effectively reduce energy consumption, energy emissions and costs.

Flea 4+ now supports CAN-FD Container-PDUs

Written by admin on . Posted in Automotive Engineering.

With AUTOSAR 4.2.1 a Dynamic Multi-PDU-to-Frame Mapping was introduced to easen migration from existing architectures.

To support activites of automotive engineers in the rising shift to CAN-FD architecture corresponding support was added to CarMedialab‘s tooling and onboard software. It can now be used for trigger definitions or continuous recordings either signal- or message-based.

CAN to CAN FD routing (Source: https://www.can-cia.org)

You can find more information here:

https://www.can-cia.org/fileadmin/resources/documents/proceedings/2015_decker.pdf