What is the purpose of integrating artificial intelligence into our QuantumChargers?

AI in VTS eCharge QuantumChargers enables remote monitoring of the charging stations.

This includes monitoring the operating status, energy efficiency and potential technical problems. With the help of real-time data analysis, the performance of the charging stations can be optimised and maintenance requirements can be identified at an early stage.

That sounds good, but now let's go into a little more detail. What can our AI actually do in detail?

One of the biggest benefits of AI in our DC charging station is the ability to monitor the condition and ageing of key components such as plugs, electrical circuits and circuitry. The aim is to monitor everything that can age. Through continuous learning, the AI can recognise patterns that indicate the wear and tear of parts and impending failures. This allows proactive measures to be taken to minimise downtime.

This preventive maintenance ultimately improves the reliability of the charging stations.

For example, the technology receives a brief notification that component X at charging station Y should be replaced because it will soon exceed its calculated service life or because it is already causing problems.

Another - perhaps even more important - aspect is the autonomous response to problems. The AI collects and analyses data every second. It is constantly learning. For example, with the help of the technicians who carry out remote maintenance. Technicians who react to certain problems with certain actions.

If a problem occurs, the AI can react independently and resolve it completely autonomously. For example, if a component hangs up, the AI triggers a reboot of this component in response.

In the best-case scenario, the customer at the charging station won't notice anything, and ideally the CPO won't either. This means we have very little downtime. The remote technician - who has access to the station from outside - no longer has to intervene either. He may have to look at the logs afterwards to see what happened.

Identify problems (in advance), but also solve them independently before they lead to serious failures. Worth its weight in gold at a charging station.

That's what we're working on at the moment and what will gradually be introduced at our stations by Q1/Q2 2024.

That is now. But what does the future hold for VTS eCharge?

In future, our AI will offer suggestions for solutions to recurring problems. For example, it will be able to name the article numbers that should be replaced. It will even be able to tell us where the item can be found in the warehouse and it will even be able to provide the service technician with instructions on where to find the part in the station and how to replace it.

The AI's experience will be incorporated into the development of the next generation of the charging station.

Ultimately, AI increases the reliability of a station.

Overall, the integration of AI into charging stations offers numerous benefits, from improved maintenance processes and increased operational efficiency to enhanced safety. These technologies help to increase the reliability and user-friendliness of charging stations.