ONDA Connectivity: Remote Control for Camper or Caravan

There are a number of reasons why you want to access the on-board system of your camper or caravan when you're out and about: you want to activate the heating before you arrive, you want to quickly switch on the lights and check the fridge temperature for the evening aperitif, or you want to check the battery charge level. No matter what you actually want to do, ONDA Connectivity enables you to access the systems of your camper or caravan on the go or from wherever you are.
 
Antonio Paoletti, Sales Manager DACH Recreational Vehicles market: “With ONDA Connectivity Internet of Things (IoT) becomes reality. Just like home automation, our onboard system shares data in the cloud and allows communication with various devices, which can transmit information and receive commands through the app. You have full control, wireless and if you want remote.” 

ONDA Connectivity is able to seamlessly combine and handle three control protocols with one single system: AL-KO VTE's own proprietary CL-BUS, which is used for all own devices, the standard CI-BUS, as used by many body builders, and CAN-BUS, which is used by motor vehicle manufacturers. In this way, the system can bring together the data and functions of a very wide range of devices – lights, watertank, heating, refrigerator, interior and exterior temperature, battery, etc. They can display them graphically and provide the corresponding switching functions.

The central building block in the ONDA Connectivity System is the ICL12 gateway. It connects the different data protocols and at the same time enables the transmission of data via Bluetooth and wireless LAN. Via CI and CAN buses devices from other suppliers can be integrated, too.

Via Bluetooth and WI-FI interfaces, ONDA Connectivity sends the data to permanently installed control panels in the car or to the app on your mobile phone. The individual details and functions are made available via separate widgets. For those who want to check data or control functions beyond the Bluethooth range, the ICL12 gateway can connect to a router/access point with a SIM card. This provides Internet access within the vehicle, sharing of vehicle data in the cloud, and remote control of the vehicle systems – all with one single SIM card. 

Data security is taken care of. Antonio Paoletti: “We subjected the system to cybersecurity tests carried out by a specialized company and successfully passed. The Bluetooth connection is done through a pairing process, while the Wi-Fi network is always protected by your personal password. To register for the cloud, it is necessary to create a simple account with a username and password.” 

The possible applications under ONDA Connectivity are practically unlimited. Check the position of your motorhome via the GPS module integrated in the ICL12 or the levelling sensors that show the horizontal orientation of the vehicle to the degree. Antonio Paoletti: “In the next phase, we will implement speech control and we will evaluate how artificial intelligence can further improve safety and user experience.” With this development perspective, AL-KO VTE is demonstrating that ONDA Connectivity is really future proofed. 

ONDA Connectivity is already available to brand manufacturers of original equipment. Paoletti: "We also want to give owners of older motorhomes and caravans the opportunity to enter the digital age and use intelligent connectivity soon." The focus is particularly on vehicles that already have technology from AL-KO VTE. To get a taste of the full functionality, the app provides a demo function that illustrates the full potential of the system. 

Paoletti: "The implementation of ONDA Connectivity was associated with considerable effort. We have used the know-how of the entire group of companies, both in hardware and software development. To do this, we combined the capabilities of our three electrical divisions – CBE, Nordelettronica and Toptron – to create a fully integrated system. In addition, we worked with specialized external partners on the development of the app, the graphical user interfaces and cybersecurity. This was and is a challenging project that further strengthens our know-how overall."