AL-KO Vehicle Technology makes motorhomes smart
Virtually everything in the motorhome that can be controlled electrically or digitally can be made available and operated by the ONDA gateway from AL-KO VT via an app. The only thing you still need your hands for is driving.
IoT in the motorhome
More than fridge recipes
When the toaster asks the fridge to put the next loaf of bread on the shopping list, you're almost in a smart home. For motorhome users, the smart home concept is initially about more practical things: Checking the filling levels of the gas bottle, water tank or batteries from the living area, or turning on the lights, parking heater or air conditioning on the way back to your vehicle.
Andreas Kling, Head of Electronics Development R&D at AL-KO VT in Kötz, responsible for close cooperation with the AL-KO VTE subsidiary: “Digitalisation opens up a huge range of possibilities. It’s important to us to bring together as many components of the vehicle as possible – including the numerous potential supplier components and sensors as well as the on-board information from the base vehicle – and to make all of them available with a single app.”
Brain and nervous system
AL-KO VTE can do both
The merger of CBE and Nordelettronica has resulted in AL-KO Vehicle Technology Electronics – AL-KO VTE for short – based in Trento, Italy, which brings the essential expertise to the table. “AL-KO VTE not only offers everything for motorhome electrics, but also the wiring harnesses that bring all the information together centrally. In addition, there are the control and touch panels with software that make it possible to control electronic components and read out data within the vehicle,” says Kling. This effectively provides the ‘brain and nervous system’ for the Internet of Things in the motorhome. Via a suitable interface, this internal network can also be connected to the data bus system of the base vehicle.
Alessandro Chies, Head of Sales at AL-KO VTE, explains: “The network makes it possible to control charging management as well as to operate the steady legs, electric awning, lighting or to check the waste water fill level. With the new interface, the vehicle can now also be connected to the internet cloud.”
Remote control via app
Connection to the digital world
Control is possible wirelessly via Bluetooth, WiFi or voice input. With a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone and the AL-KO VT app, all functions in and on the vehicle are available – whether it's from the driver's seat, the lounge area or even the bathroom if necessary. Even Alexa can accompany you in the motorhome as a useful assistant. The Wi-Fi connection can be used for remote control. This functionality or the availability of on-board data remains unchanged.
Kling: “When it comes to sensitive vehicle data in the internet cloud, we of course comply with strict European data protection guidelines.” Customers decide which data packages are actually uploaded to the internet and who should have access to them. Once the connection is established, you can analyse interesting trends relating to consumption and the use of individual components on your home computer. And if you happen to forget the location of your vehicle while on holiday, you can use the app and geolocation to navigate back precisely. This function is especially useful if the vehicle has been stolen.
Cybersecurity with top priority
In-house software development
The software for the new ONDA gateway, including the smartphone app, demanded a great deal of finesse from the development engineers. Kling: “This is not an off-the-shelf product and requires significant background knowledge. In-depth product expertise and security aspects are good reasons for us to keep these subjects in-house.” In line with this, AL-KO VT also employs its own cybersecurity manager who keeps an eye on developments in data security at different company levels.
Another reason for in-house development is the future that AL-KO VT as a whole expects from data. “Our partners are just as dynamic and creative as we are when it comes to digitalisation. With our own team, we are extremely flexible and can deliver testable versions of new functionality within a few weeks,” says Andrea Lombardi, Sales Manager at AL-KO VTE. “We are engaged in close dialogue with our partners and are driving digitalisation forwards determinedly, opening up entirely new business fields with our know-how.” Both Lombardi and Kling are clear that AL-KO VT will continue on the path to further digitalisation and opening up to IoT. The current gateway-app combination is just another step.”