Although CTIA Super Mobility is not primarily a automotive tech show, there are some transportation, IoT and new announcements from the event.
We already covered CalAmp/LoJack’s new OBD-II device and connected car service. Wireless providers, technology companies, panelists, displays and announcements included AT&T, Diversiti, Verizon, Qualcomm, telit, u-blox, ZTE, Aeris, HARMAN, Glympse, Streetline and KORE.
Connected Bike
AT&T announced it will be the exclusive U.S. wireless carrier for the LeEco Super Bike. The bike comes with a waterproof smart device with a 4-inch display, running Android software, connected to AT&T’s cellular network.
The LeEco Super Bike offers advanced features including a smart riding system, laser lane markers, fingerprint identification, a smart lock, intercom feature, sensor group and power management system. Handlebar mounted side lights come with turn signal indicators. And, it comes with a horn and hydraulic disk brakes. The bike features an alarm triggered by movement, location tracker, fingerprint scanner, and an electronic parking brake on the rear disc. Additional sensors include: heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, temperature and humidity sensors and compass capability. LeEco Super Bike also features a push-to-talk intercom feature. An FM radio saves your favorite stations. And it comes with a media player for MP3s.
Driversiti’s Safe Driving App for SupperShuttle
Transdev, the leading global provider of multi-modal transportation solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership and alliance with technology start-up Driversiti, designers of an innovative application focused on promoting safe driving. SuperShuttle, a subsidiary of Transdev, will be the first transportation fleet to utilize Driversiti’s tablet application and analytics platform.
SuperShuttle drivers at select locations will begin using the tool this month. Driversiti captures all sensor data generated by drivers’ Android tablets and provides analytics that can be used to improve driving techniques and eliminate habits that could lead to unsafe operations, such as speeding or distracted driving.
Verizon & Qualcomm Next Gen IoT
Verizon and Qualcomm are working togeither for Internet of Things (IoT). Verizon will pre-integrate its ThingSpace IoT platform as-a-service within Qualcomm Technologies’ MDM9206 Category M (Cat M1) LTE modem.
Through this collaboration, the companies are now on a path to make the opportunity-cost of connecting intelligent devices on 4G LTE more compelling by using Category M1 as the new standard – all with LTE’s superior security, reliability and reach.
Businesses developing on Qualcomm Technologies’ Cat M1 LTE modem beginning with the MDM9206, will be able to speed up connectivity to the cloud seamlessly using ThingSpace – Verizon’s global IoT platform which allows developers worldwide to build and manage applications.
Telit Touts IoT for Autos
Telit, is showing the LE920A4 LTE Cat 4 smart module to its portfolio of automotive-grade cellular IoT modules. The 150Mbps product addresses automakers’ growing demand for high-speed mobile data connectivity to support applications like advanced diagnostics and infotainment, remote software updates; and is fully compliant to eCall and ERA GLONASS requirements for emerging, mandated European and Russian emergency call systems. The new module is available in variants compliant with regional regulatory and mobile carrier requirements for cars to be delivered to North American, European and Chinese markets. The LE920A4 is sampling now, shipping later this year and concluding final carrier certifications Q1-2017.
With built-in application processor, storage and memory, the LE920A4 is an automotive smart module capable of running customer application programs completely within the module itself. Telit automotive IoT modules include the deviceWISE agent, offering seamless and instant access to the Telit IoT Portal for simple, secure and scalable automotive device onboarding.
u-blox Cat M1
u‑blox announced plans to launch modules supporting Category M1 (Cat M1) LTE networks, which will allow a larger number of devices to connect to the Internet of Things (IoT). The first SARA‑R4 module developed by u‑blox will be available in Q4 2016 targeting mobile network operators in the US market. With the recently launched SARA‑N2, the world’s first cellular NB‑IoT module, the new LTE Cat M1 complements u‑blox’s extensive product offering for the IoT.
Smart City ZTE
ZTE is in the Smart City Park is showing demonstrations of ZTE’s Smart City and Smart Parking solutions along with its latest smartphones and telematics devices.
Connected Car Panel
During the connected car talk in the Enterprise & IoT Zone panelists discussed the emerging capabilities of networked cars and the business opportunities that come with them. Panelists included:
- Bryan Trussel, Co-Founder & CEO Glympse, talked about how real-time information can transform the consumer experience. For example the restaurant will know when the dinners will be arriving and the pizza place can have the pizza ready for when the driver arrives. Glympse now works with Time Warner Cable and Pizza Hut to let people know when the cable guy or pizza will arrive.
- Kurt Buecheler, SVP Marketing and Business Development, Streetline, Inc. described how important parking is because cars are parked 85% of the time. The company uses various methods to get parking data. Parking data is important for truckers who need to rest but wan to make sure parking is available, before stopping. In the U.S. there are eight parking spaces per car. The land is too valuable to be used for parking. There will be mayhem for years when you mix humans and computer run vehicles.
- Mark Bartolomeo, VP, Connected Solutions – Internet of Things Verizon. The industry is focusing on a seamless customer experience for all the information to be contextual. The bigger issue is when we integrate more kinds of information we will need more bandwidth especially in urban canyons. 5G brings more bandwidth for better experience.
- Stefan Gudmundsson, Director, Automotive Product Strategy & Market Development u-blox San Diego, Inc. talked about how when everything is connected the fridge will tell the car, your out of milk, the car will cool the trunk and tell the driver to stop at store en route to get the necessary groceries. V2X will come first because there are still situations where fully autonomous does not work. It will be a slow roll out for self-driving .
- Syed Zaeem “Z” Hosain, CTO Aeris discussed how fleet and commercial trucks need connectivity for NHTSA requirements. For example, drivers have to check tire inflation of 18-wheelers before embarking. Software can check the tires and record the results. The transition from all cars V2X and cars with human drivers there will be safety issues and confusion. In the trucking industry platooning is helping save fuel.
Today, the 10th annual CTIA Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards winners were announced at CTIA Super Mobility 2016.
The winners in the category Connected Life (Car, Transportation, Home, Wearables, Health) are:
- Samsung Electronics America, Samsung Gear Fit2.
- HARMAN, HARMAN’s Pupil-Based Driver Monitoring System.
- Nima, Nima.
KORE Electronic Driver Logs
KORE announced a partnership between Position Logic and VisTracks, a leading developer of tablet and cloud-based application for electronic driver logs (ELD), hours of service, and vehicle inspections. Position Logic’s location-based services will optimize “Hours of Service” management for fleet tracking solutions and businesses. Position Logic, a division of KORE, empowers businesses to create on-demand, branded, precision location-based solutions for business-to-business applications.