Apparently vehicle location, driving stats and much more will be available at the touch of a button.
Start-up ryd, with headquarters in Munich, says it turns almost any car into a smart car. It is described as the biggest, multi-brand connected car platform in Europe and appears to have operations in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland – and “international”. It connects cars with drivers, insurers, garages and other partners, and enables digital payments at gas stations via smartphone or the car’s onboard computer.
Through its Business IoT connect unit, Swiss operator Sunrise UPC claims to offer the best network for IoT projects, including internationally through partnerships with the likes of Vodafone.The owner plugs a ryd box into the on-board diagnostic interface, then adds a Sunrise SIM card and through the ryd app gain access to “lots of practical tools”.
They include securing the vehicle against theft, keeping a digital journey log, checking the car battery and more. With ryd pay, drivers can pay directly at the fuel pump or from inside their car, avoiding the need to queue in the gas station shop. Quick, convenient and secure thanks to security and encryption mechanisms used by banks.
The collaboration with Sunrise UPC allows cars (petrol cars from 2001 and diesel cars from 2004) to be connected.
Features offered by ryd in Switzerland are:
• Tracking and safety through the Park & Find function, the car’s location can always be traced and GPS tracking with an anti-theft alarm ensures safety at all times
• Maintenance and technology automatic checks the car’s battery and issues notifications if at critical level, plus kilometer and fuel level indicator and an overview of fuel consumption
• Real-time interaction to retrieve vehicles and for driving stats
• Organisation and cost control – through functions like finding nearby petrols stations and directions, a digital journey log and manage costs
• Reward system of ryd points for anticipatory and safe driving in the shape of rebates and discounts with partners from different sectors (such as Dein Deal or Qualitpet).
• Modular telematics offer for fleets such as live location, cost management, driving behavior, crash detection
The offer is available at ch.ryd.one as a basic version for German-speaking Switzerland – further roll-outs are planned.
Business IoT connect via Sunrise’s mobile network offers a range of connection technologies – from 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G up to NarrowBand IoT and Cat-M1.