Worldwide Access to “Central Database” with the new data logger from Telemotive AG

In the beginning of this century, many German car manufacturers introduced a lot of new electric components and technology. The i-drive from BMW is the synonym for all this new innovation. New technology has many new problems unfortunately. However, with Telemotive data-logging system, number of problem was dropping rapidly and German car manufactures had a real quality issue based on the JD Powers results. Since then a lot has changed! JD Powers tell us how good we are.

Management understood that they have to invest a lot in pre testing and pre quality assurance.

Result of this is that in German car industry data logging is mainstream. Since 2003 Telemotive is driving the logging market with many different products and features. One project was developed for fuel cell cars.

In order to accommodate the growing requirements for the development of alternative power systems (electric, hybrid, hydrogen), Telemotive AG has expanded its product portfolio with a new offering.  MDA – Mobile Data Acquisition – is a system that collects CAN data at any given location, stores and manages the data and prepares it for global access at any time.

An integrated system for data collection and administration is necessary for automobile fleets that are mobilized for global tests and for the resulting data for analysis of the test fleet.  This is implemented in the Telemotive MDA.

The system consists of a Telemotive Data Logger with Ethernet / WLAN function and a GPS module, a mobile computer for application at any given test location, and a central server, which collects data from all loggers via Intranet / Internet.  The CAN data recorded by the logger is transferred via WLAN or cable to the mobile computer with help of special download software, and then synchronized with the central server via Internet. From here, the data is available worldwide via Intranet or Internet.

Furthermore, an additional function is in the works, which enables small amounts of data to be sent from the logger directly to the server over the cellular network.  A global distribution of specific logger configurations by way of the central server is also conceivable.

Since the development of alternative power systems has high priority development and has to be speed up. But speeding up the process and keeping high level of quality is restricted by time. For this the MDA system has generated a big step ahead to create very high level of data availability and accuracy.

From head quarter development department you can have remote access to the garage server for maintenance and control. In a world market where you have to do worldwide testing you can’t depend on the individual cultural behavior and qualification to control the garage server. With remote access you can guarantee the correct configuration and eliminate human failure in the test process.

How useful this kind of data logging system is you can see with following example. During a development of a traffic sign recognition application there where many failures reported. Nobody understood this reports since the testing at the bench showed other results. With the blue PiraT data logger system and a connected camera the problem was found! In Europe many trucks have a “Speed sign” at the rear of the truck. This “sign” was recognized by the traffic sign recognition system and occurred the “failure”. The blue PiraT provided the picture of the truck and the traces of the ECU and helped to understand the problem.

Today it is standard to do this kind of multi bus testing during development, production and after sales analysis. Quality standards have risen and the need of data for problem analysis and proof of test is great. Much time has been lost with discussion and search for the problem source. One ECU maker may accuses the other but the problem may not be solved. But with the correct data it is easy to target the source of the problem and a solution is found much faster. Based on this the whole development is more efficient and time and cost are saved.

In times where new development like E-vehicle has to be developed rapidly and data logging system is a must. Since a lot of government money is flowing into E-vehicle topics, it is even needed to prove to government the development progress.

Base of this MDA system is the deep know how of the entire test experience and consulting Telemotive AG provides for its customers. Since the beginning of this century, German car manufactures had invested a lot in testing with the result that the quality and the field return has been improved very much. One step for this was the enormous effort in data acquisition through data logging. A multi logger blue PiraT is the benchmark in the market and provides many benefits and results for the customers.