A standard that was necessary from a technical and operational point of view
This brand new VDV publication is all about data communication in buses. The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) has published the new recommendation on this important topic in issue 1/2023. Members of the association are operators of local public transport and develop new industry standards based on existing needs. Mobile data connections are being used more and more frequently in order to be able to react quickly in an emergency. This ability to transmit data in real time is valuable because it is used to continuously improve processes and prevent problems. In the past, there was often the problem of time-consuming “negotiations” between the transport company and the vehicle manufacturer about access to thevehicle data, because no standardized regulation was available. Thanks to VDV 238, this is now a thing of the past.

Advantages through VDV 238 :
Anticipating events

One use of vehicle data is so-called “predictive maintenance”. From historical and current data, a forecast for events in the future becomes possible.

Easy to use

Companies that are newcomers in the field of e-mobility receive a guideline  through this framework recommendation and can avoid mistakes through already existing, shared know-how.

Security

It is determined from the beginning which data is received will be received and therefore set up in the initial process. The data to be transferred is already defined and no longer has to be negotiated individually between the transport operators and the vehicle manufacturer. A standard always provides security, as the technical details are defined, which ensures interoperability.

Independence from manufacturers

Each company can choose its own solution without being limited to one to a specific system. Even if vehicles from different manufacturers are included in a fleet, the same fleet, the same data is received.

Transparency

Only the information that is requested reaches the operators. In addition, initial discussions in the context of Tenders become easier for all parties.

Fleet efficiency, -amortization and AI development

Another benefit is that monitoring and analysis will increase fleet efficiency by preventing errors. In addition, more qualitative data can help develop artificial intelligence.

This VDV publication 238 is a very important step, because the analysis of vehicle data enables transport companies to draw important conclusions and make data-based decisions for the future, and for software and hardware manufacturers, market neutrality is ensured. We are very happy to be a part of this development and hope to see this writing in many tenders soon.

The complete VDV publication can be found here: https://knowhow.vdv.de/doc

Anyone familiar with the field of public transport has certainly heard of the VDV 261 guideline. But what is VDV 261 actually?

What is VDV 261?
VDV 261 is a technical document published by the Association of German Transport Companies that describes how to ensure the data exchange necessary for the preconditioning of vehicles. This means, for example, that the temperature in the bus can be adjusted for passengers even before the bus departs from the charging station. And not just for one bus, but automatically for all buses.

Preconditioning leads to a longer range of battery-powered vehicles, since the energy needed to heat up or cool down the vehicles for the first time is not taken from the battery, but from the power grid. In short, VDV 261 increases comfort, increases range and saves time and therefore money, as processes no longer have to be done manually but are automated.

How does VDV 261 work?
VDV 261 describes how the value-added services of ISO 15118 must be used to automatically precondition vehicles during a charging process. Intelligent charging management enables so-called preconditioning, basically a “preparation” of the buses, via the existing charging infrastructure. There are various options for this, e.g. heating, cooling, ventilating. As soon as the electric bus is connected to a charging station, the data sent can be used to determine precisely whether preconditioning is required and, if so, in what form, so that the vehicle is ideally prepared at departure time. The challenge here lies in the smooth communication from the vehicle via the charging station to the charging management, as this communication chain must be encrypted and coordinated with all parties involved.

What is the benefit of VDV 261?
The VDV 261 interface helps to optimize planning and processes and to minimize potential risks. Because heating e-buses that are not currently connected to the charging station consumes a lot of energy and has a negative impact on the range. The bus is connected to VDV 261 during preconditioning at the charging station – so there is no need to worry about range. Passengers also experience more comfort as the temperature can be optimally prepared.

In addition to VDV 261, the standard VDV 463 is recommended – more information can be found at: https://www.carmedialab.com/en/vdv-463-makes-charge-planning-easy/.