Indoor Tracking and Services in the Automotive Industry

Indoor tracking of objects can reduce search times, prevent theft or loss and ensure extensive management of tracked assets.

Asset Tracking
The movement of individual components, pallets or vehicles can be tracked in real-time and viewed on a digital map. Moreover, it is possible to view the movements over time. To realize such a tracking solution, the assets to be tracked are equipped with transmitter hardware. These are usually Bluetooth Low Energy beacons. If an extremely precise localization or very low latency times are required, UWB tags can be applied.
A Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) increases manufacturing flexibility and enables access to real-time production information. A precise tracking solution can allow for a smooth production process and make sure that supplying material to the assembly workstations runs smoothly. Workers can check at any time whether they are still on schedule. Automatic calculations determine whether a material supply will be delayed, which makes it possible to initiate countermeasures in due time.
Use Case: Tracking of Tools in Automotive Workshops

Theft Protection
Tracking makes it possible to protect assets from theft and prevent location violations. As soon as an object leaves a previously defined area (geofencing), an automatic warning can be sent to the responsible personnel.

Tracking Across the Value Chain
The positioning can be extended beyond the company's own premises. For example, receiver hardware that is installed in trucks can be equipped with a GPS module in order to track the position of the goods seamlessly.
Use Case: Process Optimization in Transport Logistics in the Automotive Industry

Employee Tracking
In order to determine the position of employees, they carry beacons with them, e.g. integrated in their company badge. This measure contributes mainly to the safety of the employees, as a warning can be triggered if they enter a dangerous area and in case of an emergency, everybody can be evacuated safely. Moreover, walking routes can be tracked.
Use Case: Evacuation of Employees and Visitors

The location information about goods, tools, vehicles and employees facilitates more efficient process flows. Furthermore, geo and time based triggers can be defined, which can initiate automated processes. Analyses of the movement data over time enable the identification of optimization potentials.

Analyses of Movement Profiles
The positioning provides data which can be used for a variety of analyses. This includes analyses of the utilization of work equipment, the measurement of vehicle idle times and the analysis of walking and driving routes. The data can be accessed and visualized in infsoft Analytics in personalized dashboards.

Process Optimization
Based on the analyses, bottlenecks can be identified and optimization potentials can be revealed. This leads to a more efficient planning of processes and provides guidance for action.
The real-time position data from the tracking system also shows, for example, when delays are to be expected, provides timely warnings and enables a prompt reaction with countermeasures. This can prevent expensive delays and production stops.
Use Case: Utilization Analysis of Car Lifts

Automation Through Geofencing
The definition of trigger areas (geofencing) enables the automation of processes. For example, if a product is registered in a predefined zone, the status of the associated order can be automatically updated. Furthermore, the detection of an employee in a hazardous area can automatically trigger a warning or stop machines to ensure the safety of the worker.
Use Case: Workpiece Carrier Tracking

Management of Vehicles at a Car Dealership
The positioning of the vehicles at a car dealership can be used for an automatic and continuous inventory. In addition to the location of the vehicle, further information such as the sales price, the time the car has been at the dealership and more can be stored. Furthermore, automatic actions can be defined, if desired. In this way, for example, the price of a vehicle can be lowered automatically once it has been with the dealership for a certain period of time.

In car dealerships and workshops, customer satisfaction can be increased through the use of smartphone apps and positioning technologies. In addition, operators can benefit from the collected positioning data.

Smartphone App for Customers
In a car dealership, a mobile app for customers can increase their satisfaction. In addition to navigation solutions, the app can also include filter options for cars, for example. In this way, customers can easily and quickly find cars that match their desired criteria. In a car repair shop, for example, customers can use the app to view the current status of their order and the estimated remaining waiting time.
Use Case: Indoor Positioning of Cars in a Car Showroom

Improvement of Process Flows
Internal process flows can be improved by analyzing the movements of customers and employees. For example, particularly well-visited times and areas of the car dealership can be identified and staff deployment can be planned accordingly. In this way, every customer receives timely assistance, long waiting times and resulting customer dissatisfaction are avoided.
Moreover, when the arrival of a car of an (existing) customer is captured, a message can be triggered that is sent to responsible employees who can make preparations to ensure an optimal client experience.