Vector introduces vService, targeting automotive industry

With advancements in vehicle technology, aftersales teams are facing new challenges. vService addresses these by integrating both over-the-wire and over-the-air connectivity, enabling diagnostics, fleet monitoring, and software updates whether in the workshop or remotely. It adopts an open connectivity approach, using J2534 and D-PDU API for wired connections, while supporting over-the-air communication via Service-Oriented Vehicle Diagnostics (SOVD) or existing vehicle APIs.

vService facilitates continuous delivery of diagnostic content directly from design data, enabling remote collaboration between workshops and manufacturers for quicker problem resolution. Technicians are encouraged to share their diagnostic experiences, fostering a collaborative service environment that reduces vehicle downtime and improves operational efficiency.

One of the key benefits of vService is its ability to enhance fleet visibility. By aggregating over-the-air and over-the-wire data, it generates actionable insights, allowing manufacturers to stay ahead of potential issues. Problems can be traced to individual vehicles, where historical data and remote commands can identify the root cause, reducing the need for a workshop visit.

To streamline software update management and ensure compliance with R156, vService supports mixed over-the-air and over-the-wire update campaigns. This allows OEMs to choose the most suitable delivery method for updates without the need to reconcile multiple systems. Additionally, the option for over-the-wire updates ensures support for independent repairers is readily available.

“With vService we set out to create something transformational,"  said Matt Monnington, Product Manager for vService at Vector. "Instead of doing the same old thing with new technology, or crafting an extra system just for OTA, we built a solution that makes it easier to develop diagnostic content, easier to manage updates, easier to spot problems and easier to solve them regardless of how the vehicle is connected, creating a huge opportunity to make aftersales more agile.”