Connected Car Weekly: Touchless Rentals and Vehicle Health Notifications

Connected vehicles and the data they generate continue to be put to new uses. This week saw the announcement of some new applications that are being developed or expanded. Among them are technology that makes renting a car a completely digital experience, an initiative to pilot autonomous electric haulers in a quarry, and connected car data that notifies both the driver and a repair shop if a vehicle needs service.

Automotive Data Companies Developing Vehicle Health Notifications

Connected cars may soon notify both the driver and a repair shop if the vehicle needs service. That’s one of the applications of connected car data being developed by a partnership between connected vehicle data company Wejo and diagnostics and automotive data provider Hella Guttman Solutions. The two companies announced the tie-up in a press release and video released Thursday (Nov. 4).

“The Hella-Wejo partnership is enabling amazing outcomes for drivers like you and me — where a malfunction in your car can be communicated and you can take preventative action instead of being stranded — or when a problem has occurred, the mechanic already has all of the information they need to identify, diagnose and repair the issue swiftly and accurately to minimize the time your car is off the road or prevent additional expenditures,” Wejo Founder and CEO Richard Barlow said in the press release.

Jaguar Land Rover Receives License to Cellular Standard Essential Patents

Technology licensing marketplace Avanci announced Wednesday (Nov. 3) that it has signed a patent license agreement with Jaguar Land Rover, enabling the automaker to obtain a license to essential patented technology for connected vehicles. By signing the agreement, the automaker receives license to the 2G, 3G and 4G essential patents of 43 patent owners.

“This agreement demonstrates our focus on streamlining the patent licensing process for the automotive market with efficient, predictable licensing solutions through our one-stop Avanci marketplace,” Avanci Founder and CEO Kasim Alfalahi said in a press release.

With the agreement, Avanci said, a total of 25 auto brands and more than 25 million connected vehicles around the world are now licensed through the marketplace.

Project Developing Autonomous Electric Haulers

Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Holcim Switzerland announced Wednesday (Nov. 3) that they have partnered to jointly test and further develop the use of autonomous electric haulers in a limestone quarry.

“This project showcases a sustainable transport solution that is commercially viable and combines the technology shifts of connectivity, automation and electrification,” Nils Jaeger, president of Volvo Autonomous Solutions, said in a press release.

Avis Expanding Automated Car Rentals to All Major Airports

Avis customers will be able to pick up rental cars in a completely touchless experience at all major airports by the end of the year, Avis Budget Group CEO and President Joseph Ferraro said Tuesday (Nov. 2) during an earnings call.

Through the Avis QuickPass offering, Avis Preferred customers using the Avis app can select a vehicle on their phone, proceed to the car and use a unique QR code to exit through an automated Avis Express Exit. When they return the vehicle, customers can close out their rental themselves, enabled by the connected car technology.

“These industry-leading capabilities completely put our customers in control of their rental,” Ferraro said. “And while we’ve seen cost efficiencies from these added technologies, more importantly, customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with customers using Avis QuickPass.”