Vectolabs partners Bateriku.com to provide IoT and machine learning-based automotive maintenance device

• Alerts users when breakdown symptom is identified through consistent analyses
• Plug-and-play device enables Bateriku.com to know if it’s a battery problem

Vectolabs Technologies Sdn Bhd (Vectolabs), a Malaysian Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider, recently announced a development contract with Bateriku.com with the purpose of developing a predictive car maintenance device aimed at eliminating the chances of sudden car breakdowns.

The plug-and-play device, designed to be user-friendly, is capable of better assessing vehicles and informing owners or their technicians when there is a need for maintenance check-ups. The tool can prompt and alert car owners immediately when a breakdown symptom is identified, as it consistently detects and analyses the voltage waveform of a car even when it is static.

The device is expected to be compatible with any On Board Diagnostic (OBD) port available in any car, regardless of make and model.

"Our device is able to continuously detect and analyse battery voltage, car starter, alternator, odometer and even engine sensors.  The best part of our device is that car owners will be able to pin-point the root cause of an issue even without the expertise of a mechanic thus creating a more efficient and cost-savvy experience,” elaborates Vectolabs CEO and founder Faizal Ali (pic, left).

“The device will not only capture the vehicle status from the Controller Area Network (CANBUS) but it also has the ability to capture the vehicle waveform during starting. The waveform will enable Bateriku.com to know whether it is a battery problem (no towing needed), or some other failure modes (example: starter, alternator) that will require towing to a service centre."

The partnership with Bateriku.com feels only natural, as – according to Bateriku.com founder and CEO Azazol Faizai (pic, right) – both companies “share the same mission of delivering awesome experiences to car owners, especially in areas related to vehicle maintenance and performance.”

“Driven to create sustainability for car owners, this collaboration will look to produce a revolutionary device that is set to disrupt the automotive industry,” Azazol predicts.

“This device will be able to increase the operational efficiency of our on-the-ground crowdsourced technicians by seamlessly pre-ampting them accurate information to assess and address car battery failures at one go."

Bateriku.com uses cloud machine learning tools to help prevent users from stranding themselves due to a dead battery. They are also able to expand their service to not only battery but other automotive service needs. 

"It is cost free to the end-user and value-adds to Bateriku.com's B2C model in terms of operation cost and efficiency. With that, Bateriku.com's Mobile Technicians (MOTEC) will be able to provide the right product to a vehicle almost instantaneously upon retrieving data provided from our device," adds Faizal.

In addition to vehicle information, Vectolab’s device is also able to gather drivers' driving pattern and develop a risk profile. This data, the company notes, is valuable to insurance companies that are adopting usage based insurance.