Automotive Archives | *instinctools

MVP Development For an EV Charging Startup

How crafting an MVP of a mobile app for 16 EV car models and 65,000 charging points across Europe empowered the UK-based startup to conquer the European EV charging market on the first try, connect 17+ charging networks, and raise funds for further development from prominent and influential investors – Lightspeed Venture Partners, Tier Mobility, and Wise.

Industry:
Technology

Expertise:
Mobile App Development

Home / Automotive

Context

Bonnet founder and CEO, Patrick Reich, entrusted us with the implementation of his start-up idea in 2020. His vision and belief, empowered by *instinctools product development expertise, served as the basis for the creation of a unique tech solution for millions of EV drivers all around Europe.

The application for iOS and Android devices aimed at aggregating all the local EV charging points and allowing its users to smoothly find and drive to the nearest spot and instantly pay for the charge.

Challenge

Despite a few core features and the app itself, that we needed to build together with our client, there were some technical challenges and decisions to be made to ensure the solution was properly implemented and to make sure further performance was stable.

01. The synchronization of the app’s front end, back end and charging points servers.

The communication between “applications” is no less important than communication between people. Our first major task was to enable the proper connection between the main parts of the application and the charging points servers to get a real-time status of the charging process, even in background mode. Together with our client’s development team, we analyzed the algorithms and work logic of each charging spot provider and enabled its unhindered synchronization with the Bonnet application.

02. Payment service integration.

The integration of the Stripe payment service required efficient communication with the back end of the application. Together with our client, we thought over the development of technical algorithms for various scenarios related to the user’s bank account, withdrawals, including repeated transactions, etc. Our senior backend developer dived into Stripe’s operation system to bring more value and help create secure connectivity between the systems.

Solution

We developed an Android application which became the basis for the development of an iOS app. It provides EV drivers with smooth access to the public charging infrastructure.

The Bonnet app has an extended functionality for customer service, instant payments, bonuses, and useful analytics about recent charges.

The implemented subscription model, in addition to a pay-as-you-go service, is defined by the charge type (all points or the cheapest only) or user type (individual or corporate client).

Key features

In-app analytics and history of all the charges.
Online chat Intercom with FAQ and real-time support functionality.
QR-code on charging points for quick access and charge start.
Map with available charging points and search functionality.
Authorization via Google or Apple accounts for different applications.
Payment account with an integrated coupon system
Push-notifications

Client’s testimonial

“The expectations for the quality of the initial product were very high. I think *instinctools did a great job ensuring those expectations are met. We met the developers we were going to be working with and it quickly became apparent that they are very qualified and were able to deliver the vision that we had from our side for the product. They clearly told us what they were going to do, and if there were questions or problems along the way, they clarified them really quickly thanks to transparent communication.”

– Patrick Reich, CEO and Founder at Bonnet

Business Value

Software product development mindset — this is what start-up founders look for when selecting the right technology partner for their business. This is the approach that allows the tech team to be on the same page as the customer and deliver the MVP in a short time. *instinctools work helped Bonnet enter the market promptly and form the basis of a successful fast-growing tech business.

Technologies

User Support Platform For a World-Leading Premium Cars Manufacturer

How implementing a web-based support system with a single content repository and unlimited access to training materials enabled Mercedes-Benz Group AG to accelerate employee education and to improve overall procurement processes and accelerate employee education by 93%.

Home / Automotive

Challenge

Mercedes-Benz Group AG new global buying system GLOBUS has provided the company with an efficient organization of procurement processes all over the world.

In order to ensure fast and comprehensive education and ongoing support of the system users, Mercedes-Benz Group AG decided to develop and implement a special user support system. The main requirements to the system were its transparent structure and easy-touse interface which would allow users in various countries to use materials describing GLOBUS functioning. Besides, the system had to be compatible with the technology which GLOBUS itself was built.

When looking on the other side of the process, it was necessary to organize a proper environment for multiple global content creators and translators which would streamline timely, consistent and reliable creation and delivery of the information.

Approach

It was decided that the solution would be built on the pre-packaged CMS version of *instinctools’ GateOne framework which meets all the requirements in the best way:

Web-oriented which offers independence from time and place
J2EE compliant which makes it compatible with GLOBUS
DocBook or DITA standard which helps to properly structure and create documents according to international standards
WYSIWYG user interface which makes it easy-to-use for content editors, and at the same time it offers required flexibility and scalability to encounter future needs of a global roll-out.

The *instinctools team analyzed required document structures, discussed them with the Mercedes-Benz Group AG team to ensure proper understanding and implemented it in the selected CMS.

From the beginning it was clear that the system would have to serve a distributed international community, therefore analysis had to be focused on localization strategy in order to provide proper possibilities for content localization into multiple languages and in multi-country environment.

As Mercedes-Benz Group AG editors had already started creating documentation, *instinctools helped to migrate already existing parts of the user manual into the CMS-based help and support platform.

Results

After 5 months of the intense cooperation with Mercedes-Benz Group AG teams, *instinctools introduced the required Help and Support System to the GLOBUS user community. The final solution covered all main aspects of editing and authoring processes by providing an efficient and comfortable environment for the content creators, editors and publishers:

a single sourcing content repository and separationof the content from its layout and freed authors and editors from unnecessary activities

well structured workflows enhanced real-time collaboration of global teams and simplified processes of content creation and localization The new architecture insures that localized content is consistent and is conveyed the information as originally intended

transparent structure of the existing content decreased information redundancy and improved content consistency

appliance to corporate standards ensure the presentation of the information is similar in all types of published media

On the other hand, GLOBUS users were provided with a comfortable and easy-to-use help-system which streamlined efficiency of their operations:

training materials become easily accessible from any place at any time

easy and effective search functions offer easy search and retrieval of the existing information

web-based system allows asking questions on-line and getting fast replies

content-sensitive help functions provides users with complete and timely information by a simple F1 clicking

automated publishing allows converting the content into any preferable digital format without any sophisticated technical knowledge

easy search and decreases dependency on the availability of the system expert made users more willing to use available materials

Multi-Module School Transportation Solution

How developing a multifunctional app for students’ safety with real-time location tracking, notification system, in-app messages and voice calls, and other top-tier capabilities improved security and efficiency of school transportation management.

Domain:
Education, Automotive

Expertise:
Web/Mobile development

Team:
30 specialists

Duration:
approx. 2 years

Home / Automotive

Project description

A multifunctional application (Web/iOS/Android) for school enabling communication between several stakeholders: staff members, students, parents and external transportation service providers (bus drivers and transportation managers).

Challenge

Understanding customer’s pains and goals we defined the following objectives that the final product should solve:

Optimize and simplify the process of students’ transportation

Provide information sharing and communication between stakeholders in a more fast and convenient way

Thus the main requirements to the multi-module application were set:

Mobile notifications of multiple school events via location

Possibility of planning and tracking the transportation of students

Communication between the staff members and other stakeholders like students, parents and contracted external service providers

Dedicated Apps for mobile phones (Android and iOS), the corresponding web interfaces and the needed backend service logic

Task

The main task set for the *instinctools team was to design and develop multipurpose management system with applications integrated with iSAMS, DAKS systems. 30 specialists in the software development, the architecture and the project management were employed in a turnkey project development.

Solution

The final result was delivered as cloud solution including a web part for staff members and mobile apps for students, parents and drivers with the set of features based on logged in user role. It also includes third-party systems integration and has a range of functional features:

Key features

iOS/Android applications for students, parents, school staff and drivers

In-app messages and voice calls with several parties involved

Transportation Web-dashboard (routes, drivers and buses management and communication)

Events/actions history accessible anytime

One-click check-in/out for users

Map localization of students

Data storage & synchronization (The app can be used in an offline mode and the data will be saved and synched after connection is back)

Alarm system sending fire/lockdown alarm signals to recipients

Assistance request option in case of emergency

Notification system (personal and mass-notifications of bus delays, accidents, student absence, and other events/actions)

Value

The final solution brings special value to every participant and system as a whole.

Drivers now can manage their routes and notify Transportation Managers about breakdowns or incidents through delay announcements, alarms and voice calls.
Any user in case of emergency situations can quickly communicate via voice calls to get some help.

Since the security of children is one of the most important points, the parents now have the ability to track their children location and receive notifications of any emergencies.
All school updates, changes in the schedule, delays in transportations, emergency signals and other options available in these apps facilitate communication and information exchange between parties.

Technologies

Front-End:

IOS:

Integrations with external systems:

Android:

Front-End:

Advanced Monitoring App For a Global Car Manufacturer

How building a sales monitoring app with custom operational, analytical, and strategic dashboards provided a car manufacturing corporation with a comprehensive real-time visualization of performance metrics in different units and enhanced annual business planning.

Home / Automotive

It is always very important for large corporations to monitor all stages of their activities, to study the objective information, and to review the metrics of performance efficiency. Thus, this company performs daily monitoring of car sales. It has created and has been improving over the years a complex business process which allows the management of the sales process on the basis of metrics.

However such a business process requires the extensive use of computers for various stages: analysis of collected data, calculation of metrics, and visual representation of metrics. Until recent times, it was impossible to receive new information in a mobile way. However, the current level of mobile technology provides the opportunity to create a system which will cope with the large amount of information and deliver a visual representation of performance metrics in the most user-friendly way.

Challenge

The main objectives in creating a mobile application for monitoring the performance metrics for the business was to:

implement the offline mode of the application. The consequence of this requirement was the necessity to handle large amount of data, based on which the various “cuts” of performance metrics should be created. In order to have flexibility and not to occupy the client application with processing a great amount of information, an unusual concept for preparing and delivering data to the client has been created

have the ability to compare data for different periods of time

implement the performance metrics in a visual presentation with the ability to display data in a variety of “cuts”

create a progressive mechanism for filtering and organizing data according to certain criteria

The vehicle manufacturer has one more vital business process – annual business planning. Managers and sale dealers used to meet each other in general meetings and discuss the sales plan for the upcoming year. This process took a lot of time, and the necessity of a multifunctional tool was obvious. As a solution, Business Planning Objective (BPO) was performed as a part of a sales app. BPO offers extensive possibilities for visual representation of plans, management of analytics, comparison of plans and many other features.