In connected car news are FIAT, BASiC, RHOM & Sensata Technologies.
FIAT in Metaverse
FIAT Metaverse Store is the world’s first metaverse-powered interactive showroom, which makes the brand a front-runner in offering an immersive and simple brand experience. The technology launched by FIAT is, the first of its kind to power an end-to-end sales experience in the metaverse, revolutionizing the brand’s entire customer experience. The Metaverse Store features FIAT’s Product Genius – a real person – who is available to answer any customer question in real-time.
FIAT Metaverse Store has been developed in collaboration with Touchcast and Microsoft, who designed the experience for the FIAT Brand. Touchcast’s Metaverse-as-a-Service platform is built on the Microsoft Cloud, and provides customers with access to the metaverse without requiring VR headsets, avatars or specialized hardware. The result is the synthesis of digital and physical into an immersive experience unlike any other.
The FIAT Metaverse Store can instantly transport the customer “inside” FIAT (LINK). Once inside, the Product Genius welcomes the customer, and together they can explore the car in sweeping 360-degree views and learn about its technology, address any questions about electric mobility, recharging and any contents of the New 500. Furthermore, the customer can take a look up close at how the Infotainment and the different driving and EV charging modes work. The client can also customize the model by choosing its body, color, interiors, and any other desired feature and literally see those changing in real-time. Furthermore, FIAT’s completely immersive tool allows one to recreate a driving experience on board the New 500 La Prima by Bocelli on La Pista 500, the track on the roof of the Lingotto building in Turin.
To meet customers’ needs and adapt to their free time, the Product Genius is always available, Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 8 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM.
With the new FIAT Metaverse Store, the Brand continues its path towards a lean yet innovative customer journey, in a continuation of the simplification strategy which began just a few weeks ago with the configuration of its new lineup.
The entirely online experience is also complemented by a physical one, as the customer can decide to go to the nearest dealership for a test drive.
BASiC & ROHM Parter for SiC
Shenzhen BASiC Semiconductor and ROHM have entered into a strategic partnership agreement on SiC power devices for automotive applications. A signing ceremony was held at ROHM’s headquarters in Kyoto to commemorate the occasion.
Under this agreement, the two companies will leverage their respective strengths to innovate and improve the performance of SiC power devices and develop higher performing, more efficient and reliable SiC solutions for new energy vehicles.
The first step involves supplying onboard power modules that leverage the combined technologies to several major automakers for use in electric vehicle powertrains. And going forward, both ROHM and BASiC Semiconductor will contribute to technological innovation in the automotive sector by accelerating the development of innovative power solutions centered on SiC.
New Tire Sensor from Sensata Tech
Sensata Technologies, announced it has developed a new Tire Mounted Sensor for vehicle and tire OEMs to deliver enhanced safety, performance, and data insights.
Sensata’ Tire Mounted Sensor is the next step in the evolution of tire sensing, leveraging tires as the single point of contact with the road to deliver new insights, beyond just pressure and temperature. Sensata’s Tire Mounted Sensor includes TPMS functionality as well as an accelerometer to detect the force with which the tire is striking the ground. Mounted directly to the tire’s inner liner, the Tire Mounted Sensor identifies the brand and model of the tire and provides data continuity for the specific tire throughout its life cycle.
There are several benefits that Sensata’s Tire Mounted Sensors are able to provide to drivers and tire and vehicle OEMs, including:
- Improved safety, tire life, fuel efficiency and driving range calculations: When the data from the sensors is paired with a load calculation algorithm, vertical load can be estimated on each tire while the vehicle is in motion. The system will notify the driver if the vehicle is overloaded or imbalanced. A vehicle that is overloaded by just 10% reduces tire life by 16% and fuel efficiency by 10%. Awareness of vehicle load increases safety, extends tire life, and improves driving range estimations. In addition, the real-time feedback Tire Mounted Sensors provided to a battery management system (BMS) allows for more accurate EV range calculations.
- Better vehicle handling: Tire information programmed into the sensor can enable the vehicle to adjust performance and handling to match the installed tire.
- More accurate ADAS performance: Detecting road surface conditions, such as changes from pavement to gravel, can inform the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to adapt and make more timely and accurate braking distance adjustments, for example.
- Simplified tire warranty tracking: Tire and vehicle OEMs can more easily conduct tire warranty tracking and notifications as a vehicle with Tire Mounted Sensors can automatically recognize the tire information from the sensors.
Sensata’s first Tire Mounted Sensor will launch in 2023 for a fleet retrofit with a major tire manufacturer and is discussing more opportunities with additional vehicle and tire OEMs.