It seems the whole world has become data-hungry, and automakers are no exception. Indeed, Porsche vehicles are set to get a “digital twin” that will help the automaker predict vehicle stress before parts fail completely by using data collected from their entire fleet.
The project has been in the works for the last three years and specialists at CARIAD, a standalone software company owned by the Volkswagen Group, have been developing the software. The idea is to use the digital twin to warn drivers about the status of their vehicle. Using sensors embedded deep within a vehicle, intelligent neural algorithms can be used for centralized analysis.
The system is already being tested on a limited scale with a “digital chassis” in the Porsche Taycan to monitor the components of the EV’s air suspension. Primarily used to collect data about body acceleration right now, the data can be evaluated and transferred to Porsche central backend system and compared to fleet data.
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The algorithm then calculates a threshold based on the comparison and if it is surpassed, the customer can be notified and told to head into a Porsche Center for repairs. The system would ensure that wear doesn’t exceed a specified limit, allowing technicians to make repairs before parts fail or consequential damage occurs.
The test is opt-in and Porsche promises to collect data anonymously. It says that, so far, around half of all Taycan customers have agreed to take part in the pilot project. The plan is to eventually expand the system to the rest of the vehicle to create a more fully-fledged “digital twin.”
The system could be used for predictive maintenance on every aspect of a vehicle and it could detect subtle stuff. Porsche says that if it notices many vehicles wearing through their tires quickly, for instance, it could tell its technicians to make adjustments to prevent other vehicles from wearing through their tires prematurely.
The digital twin could even be used for more than just the operation of the vehicle. Digital records can be used to show the residual value of a vehicle and manufacturers could offer extended warranties based on the thoroughness of maintenance. The full digital twin is expected to make its debut next year.