“SCOUT – Customized system for optimal power management in off-road uses of thermal engines”

The concept of mobility of people and goods is undergoing a radical transformation both due to the need to urgently deal with global climate change and as a result of the revolution brought about by digitization and ICT technologies. The transformation of mobility is today a concrete, social and industrial phenomenon, increasingly strategic also in an intersectoral vision, that is to say both for the market historically linked to the automobile world and for other areas not typically linked to mobility such as those of the supply of services for citizens.

DG Twin proposed the research and development project named “SCOUT”, admitted to the concessions granted by The Regional Department for Research, Innovation and Startup of the Campania Region referred to in the "CAMPANIA STARTUP 2020" manifesto as part of the POR Campania FESR 2014 - 2020.  The project has allowed the development of absolutely innovative electric/electrified propulsion control systems, based on the application of the most advanced digital technologies, for optimal use of the energy stored on board, inside the batteries, and for maximum waste reduction.

SCOUT was intrinsically conceived as a contribution to greater economic and environmental sustainability of transport, perfectly fitting into the paradigm now know as Digital Industry. Based on the work Team’s know-how, the technological solution established consisted in the development and implementation of dedicated advanced software, which can be used in various ways, including for Mobility as a Service (MaaS), for the purpose of optimizing performance of electric or electrified propulsion systems. The development of so-called “digital twins” of the real counterpart has in fact made it possible to pursue the ambitious goal of defining an efficient, flexible, and intelligent system, capable of adapting its functioning to the specific operating context, also thanks to the inclusion of IoT technologies which enable the continuous connection and interaction of the vehicle with the user and with the surrounding environment.

The developed PMS can be defined as a flexible and “self-adaptive” power management system, which monitors the usage profile and increases the range and safety of use of a vehicle, intervening not only for the normal power regulation but, in particular, in conditions of lack of comfort lined to sudden accelerations, excessive extracts, or power delivery that is not suitable for the loads (being) transported.

The functionality and effectiveness of SCOUT in reducing electricity consumption were tested in a proof of concept carried out along various typical urban routes in the city of Naples, noting a better quality of the user experience and reduced energy consumption of the order of 15%. The concept underlying the innovative Power Management System was the subject of a patent application for an industrial invention filed with the Italian Patent and Trademark Office in March 2022.

During the project, DG Twin was also a Platinum Partner of the DIGITA ACADEMY of the University of Naples “Federico II” and of DELOITTE, whose collaboration has allowed the development of a business model for the broad-spectrum commercial diffusion of this technology as a mobile App.

In summary, DG Twin has been able to generate concrete innovation by combining an IoT bidirectional connectivity system with an advanced proprietary artificial intelligence algorithm, which processes data collected in real operation relating to the vehicle use in order to optimize its functionality. SCOUT has made it possible to transform the innovative first of all into a digital mobile application that can be used on a broad spectrum by users of electric bicycles and, in particular, by riders engaged in last mile deliveries. In the future, the system will be implemented in electronic control units of electrified vehicles of different categories.