The rise of the smart machines

Machine to machine (M2M) technology is set to revolutionise many aspects of our lives and the way we do business. It’s already having a profound impact in areas such as air travel and retailing and is set to have an increasing influence on the way we live and work.

"M2M is about connecting things and turning them into intelligent devices," says Andrew Grier, M2M product manager with Vodafone Ireland. "Our vision is to connect every machine to transform lives and businesses. We are providing our enterprise and business customers with the means to develop innovative new solutions and services and to gain competitive advantage. M2M solutions connect devices to the internet, transforming them into intelligent devices that exchange real-time information and open up a range of possibilities for how businesses are run, how they grow and how they keep customers happy."

He cites Ryanair as an example of the technology in action. The airline's recently announced partnership with Vodafone will see the introduction of the electronic flight bag that will remove paper from the cockpit. This will replace the traditional large bag full of documents with an iPad while the pilot is constantly updated on the most efficient flight plan to minimise fuel costs.

In addition, Vodafone is supporting the on-board electronic point of sale (EPOS) devices used for in-flight credit card sales. The new handheld devices automatically synchronise data over a secure managed connection with credit card companies as soon as the plane lands.

Another major benefit for Ryanair is the ability to get up and running in a new airport very quickly. “It could take several days to set up check-in desks and so on in a new airport for a new route when using fixed line technology,” Grier explains. “Now, using Vodafone’s M2M technology over mobile infrastructure, they can set it up in hours.”

At a very different level the technology is being deployed in vending machines by Irish company Mamba Bay to monitor and report when stocks of items such as sweets, drinks or gifts need to be replenished. This both reduces consumer frustration levels and maximises turnover and profits for the vending machine operators.

Central heating

Another example of the technology which has already made its way into tens of thousands of Irish households is the Climote remote central heating control device. Users are able to connect to the device from anywhere in the world using their mobile phones to adjust their home heating.

Dublin Bus users will also have experience of M2M technology through the real time passenger information system which provides a quick view on when your next bus should come to bring you home or to work.

The technology is also set to be installed in private cars throughout the European Union over the next three years as a result of the e-call initiative. This is aimed at bringing rapid assistance to motorists involved in a collision anywhere in the EU. In a crash situation, an e-call equipped car automatically calls the nearest emergency centre.

Emergency

Even when passengers are incapacitated and unable to speak a defined “minimum set of data”, which includes the exact location of the crash site, is sent to the emergency services. According to the

European Commission

this should cut response times by up to 50 per cent in the countryside and 40 per cent in built-up areas. This quicker response will potentially save hundreds of lives every year.

The original proposal was to have the system operating across the EU by the end of this year but it is now hoped for it to be fully implemented by late 2017 or early 2018. But this is not the only change happening in the car market as a result of M2M technology, according to Grier. He points to the Porsche Car Connect service as an example. "Porsche owners can now monitor fuel levels, mileage driven, service intervals, tyre pressure and other data on their PC, tablet or mobile phone," he explains. "There is also an app for smart watches. One of the features of this technology is that it will allow owners to remotely start up their cars on cold mornings to have them warmed up with the windows defrosted before they leave home."

While this may be restricted to the luxury segment of the market at present Grier believes it will not be long before it works its way down to the mass market. “If you look at innovations in cars over the years such as GPS and communications technology they started out in the luxury end and eventually became standard in all vehicles. Once people experience a technology like that they will never go back. That’s how a lot of innovation works – by everyone else having to follow suit.”

Grier believes the transport and logistics sectors will be the fastest adopters of the technology. "In Sweden they are already looking at ways of using your car as a delivery address for orders from companies like Amazon. If you are not at home you can transmit the location of your vehicle to accept the delivery."

But it is not just those sectors which are using M2M technology. “The world is changing fast,” says Grier. “Vodafone carries out research each year among enterprise customers and in 2014 22 percent of them said that they are already using M2M – an increase of over 80 per cent on 2013. More than half the organisations surveyed said they expect to have an M2M solution in place within two years and three-quarters of them said their M2M strategy will include external facing projects like improving customer service within three years.”

Grier also points to potentially transformative projects which can fundamentally alter customer relationships. “Equipment and product manufacturers can unlock a world of lucrative new value-add services, and transform post-sales relationships with their customers,” he says. “Instead of just selling a piece of equipment they can offer an ongoing service where its performance is constantly monitored and optimised. Vodafone’s M2M end-to-end solutions make these solutions possible through the combination of technical hardware expertise, managed connectivity and software applications.”