Elaphe Propulsion Technologies and IBM: Connecting vehicles to connected ecosystems

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Elaphe is on a mission to relieve some of the stress we humans put on our planet, by radically changing transportation through an innovative and disruptive in-wheel propulsion platform. As part of the ongoing mobility revolution, we see a huge market, innovation and social value in combining our technology with IBM Cloud solutions.

Elaphe’s story began in the 1980s when the main founders began researching in-wheel motor technology, convinced that it is the future of vehicle propulsion. The advent of electrification, changes in ownership models, autonomous driving and connected car technologies in recent years have transformed how vehicles are built and used, as they’ve now become “computers on wheels.”

Confident that we had the best technology for moving the “wheels,” in 2016 we realized that we needed to unlock the untapped value of vehicle control and the data generated by our in-wheel platform. With multiple motor control of fast, responsive direct-drive motors, we generate valuable data not only for OEMs that are building their vehicles on top of our platform and users who desire customized, intelligent, and safe transport, but also for the larger Internet of Things (IoT) environment. The IBM ecosystem enables us to do exactly that.

IBM’s commitment to IoT, and the capabilities of the IBM Cloud and Blockchain platforms as well as IBM Watson, was not the only reason for our partnership. The local IBM Innovation Centre contributed their IoT expertise, which enabled quick implementation. Additionally, they supported us in our vision to connect the first-ever in-wheel motors to the cloud, in order to extract real value and leverage our combined technologies.

Having data about motor and vehicle status and about the environment in which they run enables us to combine the data we generate about a road surface’s grip and meteorological data from the Weather Company (an IBM company) to create insights into road conditions to make vehicles safer and more responsive. And IBM’s ecosystem of Business Partners enables us to go even further. By integrating the data generated by our systems with third parties, we can create new opportunities in areas like traffic flow, road safety and maintenance, or even urban planning.

For a next-generation service provider, the generation of rich data from multiple sources—shared and used by an ecosystem of Business Partners with applied AI—has unlimited potential. The IBM Cloud is at the center of Elaphe’s connected car operations, enabling us to collaborate and explore new services and business models with IBM and its ecosystem. When we founded Elaphe, our goal was to help create a new paradigm for the mobility industry; now, the Internet of Things has created a new paradigm for every type of business. As technologies become increasingly specialized, we see such partnerships as the key to managing the complexities of the mobility revolution.

About Elaphe Propulsion Technologies Ltd.
Elaphe Propulsion Technologies Ltd. is a leading EU-based developer and manufacturer of disruptive in-wheel electric propulsion systems for electric and hybrid vehicles, such as LEVs, passenger cars of all segments and public transportation. Elaphe off-the-shelf or custom developed motors, combined with advanced power electronics and multiple-wheel control system, present the simplest platform for the electric vehicles of tomorrow. Patented and innovative electromagnetic and mechanical designs for in-wheel propulsion enable Elaphe™ products to boast market-leading specific torque, compact design and use of standard brake and bearings for in-wheel propulsion systems. The Elaphe distributed propulsion architecture is the ultimate propulsion platform for connected and automated vehicles, bringing new opportunities to mobility and transportation. For additional information visit www.in-wheel.com.

A version of this story originally appeared in Business Partner Voices.