Flex > Case Studies > Revolutionizing Specialty Vehicle Design with IoT: A Case Study

Revolutionizing Specialty Vehicle Design with IoT: A Case Study

Technology Category

Networks & Connectivity - Gateways
Robots - Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV)

Applicable Industries

Automotive
Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Time Sensitive Networking
Vehicle Performance Monitoring

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services
System Integration

About The Customer

The customer in this case study is a specialty vehicle manufacturer. They operate in a highly fragmented market, producing vehicles with unique requirements and capabilities such as ambulances, fire trucks, snow plows, and taxi cabs. Each of these vehicles has its own external hardware that interacts with the vehicle and its controls in a unique way. The manufacturer was struggling with the high cost and time-consuming process of creating custom gateway modules for each new vehicle or equipment model. They approached Flex with the aim of reducing their production costs and time to market.

The Challenge

Specialty vehicle manufacturers face a unique set of challenges due to the highly fragmented nature of their market. The design and production requirements for an ambulance, a fire truck, a snow plow, or a taxi cab are vastly different, each with its own unique external hardware that interacts with the vehicle and its controls. The gateway modules that connect this hardware to the vehicle are custom-made for each new vehicle or equipment model. This customization significantly increases the cost of design and production for specialty vehicle makers. Additionally, it also extends the time it takes to bring a specialty vehicle to market, with outfitters spending up to 18 months configuring the necessary custom hardware and software. One such manufacturer approached Flex, seeking a solution to reduce its production costs and time to market.

The Solution

Flex proposed a revolutionary solution to the client's problem - the Smart Gateway Module and FlexConfig app. This system replaces the traditional custom gateway module, eliminating the need for a new hardware and/or software configuration for every new specialty vehicle model. Instead, Flex's solution is a single, highly-configurable box that can be used across any new vehicle. The manufacturer, who previously required complex electrical engineering skills or even outsourcing to configure a gateway module, was now able to directly upgrade the software itself using the FlexConfig app that ships with the module. FlexConfig provides a simple graphical programming interface, enabling the manufacturer to cut valuable time from its production cycle by configuring the Smart Gateway Module to suit its own needs. Additionally, Flex also provided a telemetry system that enabled the vehicle to communicate effectively with central dispatch, offering real-time status updates and control over certain operational aspects.

Operational Impact

The implementation of Flex's Smart Gateway Module and FlexConfig app brought about significant operational improvements for the specialty vehicle manufacturer. The manufacturer was able to cut unnecessary complexity and cost out of its specialty hardware design. The solution provided a high degree of flexibility, optional wireless communications functions, and a greatly decreased time to market. The manufacturer was also able to take ownership of changes, meeting ASIL safety requirements and offering both wired and wireless connections. The system's simplicity and efficiency cannot be ignored, as it revolutionizes the way specialty vehicle manufacturers operate, making the process functional, affordable, and faster.

Quantitative Benefit

Reduced time to update vehicle design from 8-18 months to 2-4 weeks
Enhanced upgrade cycle for telemetry and communications hardware from several weeks to just days
Eliminated the need for new hardware with every change