The Internet of Things is the connectivity and communication between different devices. In the auto industry, the IoT connects car navigation systems to parking garages, gas stations, and ev-charging stations providing the end users with innovative solutions.
But how do all these different devices connect to each other so that drivers can use these services?
One way is through the SAP Vehicles Network. SAP, the market leader in connecting devices to the IoT, created the Vehicles Network as a marketplace where different solutions providers can connect with the different vehicle OEMs and major app providers. The automotive manufactures can use the Vehicles Network services in their applications or companion apps to offer a seamless user experience.
The Vehicles Network can work in the following way:
I am in Hannover, Germany and I need to pump gas. I use my car navigation system to find the nearest gas station. Afterwards, I need to see a client in the city center. Again, using my car navigation system, I reserve a parking space near my client’s office and, once I am there, the barriers automatically open. When I leave, the payment is automatically made as I drive away.
In this example, the SAP Vehicles Network connects the gas stations and the parking app providers to the vehicle’s back engine using the internet. Vehicle OEMs such as VW don’t need to work with the thousands of individual parking and fuel providers to offer different connectivity services to their customers; they simply connect to the SAP Vehicles Network for full access to the marketplace. By aggregating parking and fueling inventory, SAP eliminates the friction in user experience and fragmentation in availability to VW drivers.
For more information about the SAP Vehicles Network, please click here.
For an interview with Laurens Eckelboom, VP Head of Business Development for Connected Vehicles, click here.
For more information about the IoT, click here.
About SAP 
As the market leader in enterprise application software, SAP is at the center of today’s business and technology revolution. SAP Vehicles Network is a B2B business network solution that facilitates connections between sales channels and various suppliers. In turn, this enables the automotive manufacturers to leverage SAP Vehicles Network services in their applications, and the sales channels to deliver a delightful vehicle centric experience.
