On-board computer offers digital interface to fleet management
With the Scalar EVO Touch, the ZF Commercial Vehicle Solutions (CVS) division presented a powerful and future-oriented on-board computer for commercial vehicles at the IAA Transportation 2022. The target group is fleet managers; the Scalar EVO supports them in expanding digitalisation and helps them to increase the operational efficiency of commercial vehicle fleets.
Scalar EVO Touch is ZF’s first IoT connectivity solution that will allow the recently launched Scalar fleet orchestration platform to reach its full potential by expanding its functionality. In a first phase, the product will be launched in the EMEA region.
Scalar EVO Touch supports all the functionalities of its predecessor TX-SKY and offers a wide range of additional support features to enable fleet managers to take the digitisation of their fleet up a gear. The unit is feature-rich, securely customisable to specifications and offers the user-friendly interface of a powerful touchscreen computer. It is also fully integrated with the multifunctional ZF back-office software TX-Connect, as well as being connected to the vehicle’s CAN bus and trip data recorder.
EVO Touch is equipped with a quad-core Cortex A53 processor and 2 GB RAM, far outshining the TX-SKY. With an integrated 32GB flash, it even offers 64 times more memory performance than its predecessor. It also uses a Trusted Platform Module (TMP) for enhanced software, hardware and data security.
EVO Touch can communicate over 2G, 3G and 4G cellular networks; it also has a 4G CAT-M-1 modem for dedicated M2M connectivity with the option of a 5G update. Bluetooth 5.0 client and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity are also provided. The device has an eUICC-enabled SIM card for switching regional network providers and an automotive Ethernet port for connecting vehicle peripherals and sensors in a connectivity hub. For increased data precision in weak connectivity zones, the Scalar EVO Touch features an accelerometer and gyroscope.
The device is positioned by the manufacturer as the first pioneer of ZF’s vision of future-oriented vehicle connectivity and will ultimately function as a connectivity hub. As a hub, it will connect various types of vehicle sensors and peripherals and collect relevant information/data, including in innovative driver assistance systems (ADAS), driver behaviour monitoring systems (DBMS), CAN bus, driving data recorder, power take-off (PTO) equipment and trailers. Thanks to the enriched data supplied to the fleets, it increases efficiency and safety. For example, incidents and collisions are reported while driving so that they can be analysed and avoided in the future. As a media channel in the cabin, it can also play adapted information videos for the drivers.
All of ZF’s in-house developed EVO Touch hardware and software is pre-equipped with technologies that anticipate future developments of digital ZF fleet management solutions as the connectivity hub of the Scalar fleet orchestration platform. It also integrates automatically with other IoT beacons and asset tags increasingly used throughout the mobility ecosystem.
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