Japanese taxis show how IoT changes the way technology rolls out

By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

In an example of how the IoT is changing the relationship of technology suppliers and customers, VIA Technologies is working with the  Japan Taxi Co for a Smart IoT Mobility System that integrates communication and connectivity features.

The new face of IoT development

The Smart IoT Taxi System comprises a ruggedised small form factor VIA AMOS-825in-vehicle system (below) and a 7” touch panel display, and has been finely tuned to withstand the rigors of the road through a number of key enhancements, including: 

• 9-36V voltage input and wide temperature range
• Sophisticated power-management
• Ignition-controlled quick boot
• Withstands 7G shock and 70G vibration
• GPS location tuning for pinpoint tracking and navigation
• CAN bus support for the future capture of critical vehicle data such as speed and fuel consumption

The ruggedised small form factor VIA AMOS-825 in-vehicle system used by Japan Taxi 

The system was developed by combining the automotive industry expertise of Japan Taxi, the IT subsidiary of Nihon Kotsu, which is the leading taxi group in Japan in terms of revenue, and the hardware development capabilities of VIA to integrate the CAN and GPS requirements. This specification then opens up new IoT app implementations, both locally and in the cloud. 

This enables operators to enhance passenger convenience and safety while simultaneously reducing costs through the implementation of smart fleet management and the development of new on-demand passenger services.

New IoT apps locally and in the cloud supported by a ruggedised VIA system

“The Smart IoT Taxi System provides the perfect illustration of the innovation that can be achieved when two companies leverage their respective domain expertise to meet rapidly-changing market needs,” said Richard Brown, VP International Marketing at VIA Technologies. “With our customisable in-vehicle system platforms, we are committed to providing commercial transportation customers throughout the world with proven ultra-reliable solutions that can be rapidly tuned to meet their exact requirements.”

“Thanks to our close cooperation with VIA, we can now provide operators with the smoothest path for adding smart IoT functionality to their vehicles so that they can deliver innovative new passenger services,” commented Mr. Tomoya Yamamoto, Lead Engineer, Japan Taxi Co., Ltd. “The launch of this system is the first step in our long-term vision of accelerating the transition to smart on-demand transportation.”