Right the First Time: Cloud-based Cyber-Physical System for Data Acquisition and Remote Diagnostics to Optimize the Service Quality

This paper describes the components of a cloud-based Cyber-Physical System (CPS) for data acquisition and remote diagnostics, their interconnection, and their interaction. The CPS serves the purpose of merging several data sources so that the service quality can meet the Right-the-First-Time target. With the increasing complexity of the automotive E/E systems, the online support of the workshop mechanic by an experienced technician also helps to reach the target, whereby the technician has access to fleet data sets and diagnosis expert systems with complex guided fault finding procedures. The data acquisition system consists of a TCU that is permanently installed in the vehicle. It autonomously reads CAN signals and requests diagnostic data via OBD and UDS communication protocols. The TCU records the position (GPS), the acceleration and the motion direction of the vehicle and transfers all the data as MQTT packages via LTE in the Cloud. For continuous condition monitoring of each connected vehicle, the result is a set of live data in the cloud. The data packages are merged and analyzed to get insights of the operating condition of the fleet. Condition Monitoring is part of Predictive Maintenance, but it cannot replace service and maintenance actions as they are carried out by human mechanics. For the purpose of maintenance, service and repair, the vehicle must be driven to a workshop or the mechanic must drive to where the vehicle is located, be it a construction site, a farmer´s field or the private garage of the vehicle owner. A Vehicle Communication Interface (VCI) is used to physically connect the workshop tester (TST) with the Data Link Connector (DLC) of the vehicle. The VCI is a smart device with a LINUX operating system. It processes OTX sequences using ODX data. A router connects the workshop infrastructure with the Cloud Server (Cluu). Cluu is a server-based enterprise backbone and platform that integrates different databases with each other and creates a virtual mega-database. It comes with a set of applications that can be executed by the mechanic in the workshop. In case of complex failures, the mechanic can request remote support by an experienced technician. The technician connects his tester as if he were actually on site, but most likely he has more complex analysis and diagnostic methods than the workshop technician.