As IoT and Telematics become the cornerstone for our connected world the value of being connected humanly also increases. With the rapid technology development comes a disruption in society where collaborating around opportunities and risks becomes absolutely crucial in order to stay relevant.
At SAS we are part of several such networks and in the area of IoT and Telematics we are proud members of Telematics Valley. If you are in this industry you will want to read the interview with Johan Amoruso-Wennerby, chairman of Telematics Valley, below.
Telematics Valley and IoT
Telematics Valley is 15 years old this year. Established in Goteborg in 2001, it brought together car and truck manufacturers and suppliers of components and systems that supported ‘black boxes in cars’. Over the next years, it has moved on and is now a major force in the field of telematics. On 28th September an extended lunch seminar is hosted at SAS Institute in Stockholm.
While preparing for this event, we had the opportunity to speak with Johan Amoruso-Wennerby, chairman of Telematics Valley, about Telematics Valley and expectations on 2017.
What is your focus?
- We are a not-for-profit networking membership organisation, open to anyone working in the field of telematics. Over the years, our focus has shifted from the technology itself to its use, and more particularly, developing profitable services using telematics. While still retaining our original focus on the transport sector, our members are interested in the Internet of Things (IoT), and in Smart City technology, because telematics is a key enabler in those areas.
What benefits do you offer your members?
- We exists to ‘support and strengthen’ both business and technology, and sees ourselves as a catalyst for business development in the field of telematics and related technology and services. We are a forum for our members to exchange both ideas and more practical help and support, including partnerships and collaboration. We also act as a representative for our members to advance their interests when necessary. Our reputation has steadily grown, as it has become recognised as one of the world’s leading membership organisations in the field.
How would you describe your members?
- Our ambition is to bring together expertise from multiple sectors, so you can see among our members names from both public and private sector, as well as academia. Indeed, even within the commercial sector, our members come from a wide range of sectors. Car and truck manufacturers are represented, for example, by Scania and the Volvo Car Corporation. Electric and electronic systems manufacturers on the list include Mitsubishi Electric, and mobile data and IoT experts include Ericsson and Huawei. There are also a number of smaller organisations, including some fairly recent start-ups, who provide car- or transport-specific systems, including TOMTOM, perhaps best known for its satnav systems, and Trimble Transport and Logistics, manufacturers of the CarCube.
What are your plans for geographic expansion?
- We started with a strong geographical focus on Western Sweden, because this area contains a major cluster of telematics and other technology companies. Goteborg has been a leading light in mobile data communications, and this has enabled a strong regional area of expertise to develop.
Since the early days, our membership has expanded across north-western Europe. Members in other European countries include Nokia Location and Commerce, headquartered in London, Grace, a company focusing on satellite positioning technology in Nottingham in the UK, Transics in Ypres in Belgium, providing support for fleet operators and Omnitracs in the Netherlands.
The expectations for 2017 is to leverage the increased diversity among members in an even better sharing and developing of ideas associated with important trends as Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart City technology. The upcoming event on Telematics & IoT is one such initiative to support this learning and sharing among members, and should bring new perspectives to the opportunities in the future, concludes Johan Amoruso-Wennerby, chairman of Telematics Valley.
