We haven't talked about fiction for a long time. Remote roadside assistance has been operating on the market for many years and is still developing. The fact that today it is usually still a consultation over the phone or simply a repair on the road performed by a mobile roadside assistance with a specialized mechanic, but this is slowly changing. The question is whether it is for the benefit of the driver and owner of the vehicle.
All statistics agree that mobile or remote repair of failures significantly accelerates, up to 50%, the return of the vehicle to mobility. Today, the standard of such remote repair is such that the driver calls the nearest roadside assistance or one with whom the company has a permanent cooperation agreement and consults his situation. A qualified consultant can help you over the phone after learning about the failure. This applies mainly to simple failures such as: slammed fuel filler flap, failure of the system without a key, incomprehensible to the driver messages on the dashboard, replenishment of fluids. This short list is almost 80% of all cases solved by phone repairs.If the matter turns out to be more serious, the consultant can assess whether a mechanic with a mobile roadside assistance point can come to the place of failure or whether it will be necessary to send a tow truck and transport the car to the workshop.
Is it still possible to improve this system? There are many ideas being implemented, there are ideas tested in different countries, but also many ideas that are currently in the sphere of fantasy.
Thematic technologies
Telematics technologies already exist widely available, and have been so since at least 2015. These are remote vehicle diagnostics systems. Practically in all new cars this system was installed, having different names from different manufacturers, although not in all vehicles initiated. The principle of operation is very simple. The system constantly monitors the vehicle and immediately reports any threat of failure to the driver and to the nearest service. The identified possible failure is removed remotely or secures the vehicle by going into an emergency state (usually it is the ability to move at a speed of 5 km / h) and leads to service, or stops it and sends a tow truckto transport the vehicle to the workshop. Absolute comfort. Guarantee of safety. A system that makes it possible for us to avoid many failures threatening us with the consequences of engine destruction or even a dangerous accident.
Unfortunately, in practice it happens that when hurrying with delivery or to work, suddenly completely unexpectedly, without notice, we stand on the route because we have an overly contaminated air filter. We could replace it later after completing the order or after work, but the car stopped because we are not going to the suggested service. It stopped or we have a vehicle going 5 per hour. The service sends a tow truck, let's add that immediately, and whether we want to or not, it takes us to the service anyway. First of all, we have obvious losses in work, and secondly, we have to pay the service, which usually has exorbitant prices for such a service. Is it beneficial for us?Apparently yes, but we would like to have the right to choose because for now only the company service provides us with a guarantee. Therefore, work is underway to allow independent companies to install their own systems or mobile operation of each car.
Smartphones, drones and robots
One of the ideas already tested in the world is to remotely connect the consultant to the vehicle's computer. This can be done, for example, via a phone, and the driver only needs to have a suitable cable to connect the devices and an application that supports such a service. Direct insight into the indications of the on-board computer allows each specialized mechanic to give full advice, make specific decisions or even fix a fault.
Another solution is drones providing the necessary elements for repair. There are many minor repairs that can be made by the driver himself, but he does not have the right parts on the route. After analyzing the failure, the consultant sends a drone with a part that is easy to replace, especially for a professional driver. It can be a light bulb that does not allow you to continue driving or an air filter if the driver can take it to replace. The drone arrives at the crash site much faster than any mobile service.
In the vision of the future, there is also a repair robot that arrives as an autonomous vehicle or arrives as a drone and performs repairs automatically. Such robots for certain standard repairs are already being tested, but these are not yet advanced works and face many obstacles, even in the form of a huge variety in the construction of vehicles and engines. Therefore, for the time being, the tests are carried out by manufacturers directly on their vehicles and mainly in stationary workshops.
Standalone applications
Fleet owners are happy to sign permanent care contracts with a company specializing in roadside assistance. That is why such companies, also in Poland, introduce their applications for direct contact with the driver of the vehicle. The application tracks the vehicle, monitors the parameters as long as it has access to a computer, and is used to quickly report a failure. Then the installed bot significantly speeds up the procedures by conducting the first conversation with the driver, and only then sends the conversation to the appropriate consultant. The contact route is shorter and does not block the time of the professional.
Technological progress is inevitable. Therefore, we recommend all systems supporting the work, time and safe driving of vehicles. Of course, you should check everything and make sure you have the best possible options. The times of forced stops for a few days, of carrying the entire workshop and parts warehouse with you are long over. Ahead of us is the time of drones and repair robots , may it not be too expensive, but it will certainly be faster.
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