Airbiquity
Airbiquity Inc. is a business-to-business (B2B) software development and engineering company operating in the automotive telematics industry. Airbiquity's business model is to develop, deploy, and support the ongoing management of connected car programs for automotive industry customers using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business model,[1] and its Choreo cloud-based connected car service delivery platform.
Type | Privately held company |
---|---|
Industry | Automotive telematics: connected vehicle services |
Founded | 1997 |
Headquarters | Seattle, WA, USA |
Areas served | Americas, Europe, Middle East/Africa, Asia, Oceana |
Products | • Over-the-air (OTA) software and data management • Service management • Safety & security • Infotainment delivery • Electric vehicle • Intelligent vehicle • Fleet management |
Brands | Choreo™ connected vehicle service-delivery platform, OTAmatic™ OTA software and data management product |
Website | www.airbiquity.com |
Airbiquity's Choreo platform is claimed by the company to integrate the broad array of components needed to build and operate connected car programs such as mobile network connectivity; vehicle entertainment systems or "head units", cabin displays and instrumentation; telematics control units (TCU), on-board diagnostic dongles (OBD-II), smart-phone handsets; back-office IT systems; data analytics providers; software and firmware over-the-air (OTA) technology providers;[2][3] software and firmware catalogs; emergency and concierge call centers; and content and service providers.
History
The company was founded in 1997 as Integrated Data Communications Inc. located on Bainbridge Island across the Puget Sound from Seattle.[4] In 2000, the company changed its name to Airbiquity Inc. and later relocated to the Seattle downtown waterfront in 2006.[5]
During its early years Airbiquity's primary product was aqLink, a patented in-band software modem enabling vehicle connectivity and two-way data transfer over cellular voice networks using embedded TCUs or consumer cell phones with Bluetooth connections.[6] The introduction of aqLink was followed by a series of product upgrades and line extensions, including aqServer for transmission, receipt and processing of information transported to data and call center providers over UMTS, CDMA, TDMA or GSM wireless network voice channels.[7]
In 2001, Airbiquity secured a contract with General Motors to license aqLink technology to support location-based communications for its OnStar service. Other automakers licensed aqLink technology for their connected car programs.[8] According to Airbiquity, aqLink technology has been licensed for use in over 25 million production vehicles globally.[9] The ability to provide voice and data services marked the start of branded connected car programs from automakers seeking to differentiate their vehicles from competitors. These programs have since expanded to include other features and services such as over-the-air (OTA) software and data management, infotainment delivery,[10] remote vehicle management, electric vehicle management, and commercial fleet management.
OTAmatic
One of the services Airbiquity offers is called OTAmatic. It provides over-the-air (OTA) software and data management to automotive manufacturers and suppliers. In December 2018, Airbiquity announced a new version of OTAmatic. This update will include new security and data analytics features as well as new OTA management capabilities, such as the ability to carry out multi-ECU software updates and data campaigns.[11]
Choreo
Airbiquity launched Choreo, a cloud-based connected car service delivery platform, in 2008. The first automaker program to deploy on Choreo was Ford Sync in 2008. Airbiquity provides service delivery for Choreo in over 60 countries, including translations into more than 30 local languages[12]
Choreo is composed of six services for established and newly emerging connected car services. Each product draws upon combinations of Choreo platform service delivery capability supplemented with custom software development and engineering to integrate with specified suppliers, mobile network operators,[13] call centers, content providers, and back-end IT systems.
Awards
Airbiquity has received the following telematics industry, technology, and business awards for software development, engineering and integration expertise,[14] and general business success:
- Business Intelligence Group - New Product of the Year - 2017[15]
- Stratus Award for Cloud Computing - 2017[16]
- TU-Automotive - Best Telematics Service Provider – 2015[17]
- Deloitte - Deloitte Technology Fast 500 – 2014 & 2013[18]
- Connected World - Connected World 100 – 2014 & 2013[19]
- Inc. Magazine - Inc. 500/5000 – 2014 & 2013[20]
- Edison Universe - Innovative Safety & Security Services – 2014[21]
- Intelligent Transportation Society of America - Solution Spotlight: Electric Vehicle – 2013[22]
- Red Herring - Top 100 North America – 2013[23]
- Telematics Update - Best Telematics Solution – 2012/11[17]
- Telematics Update - Best Automotive Application – 2012/11[17]
References
- Koslowski, Thilo. "Ford Shifts Vehicle Hub Concept Into High Gear". Gartner. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- Jonston, Bryan. "Best of CES Connected Car News: AT&T, Qualcomm, Audi, HERE, BMW, Ford, Airbiquity & Arynga". Auto Connected Car. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- Kumbhar, Sheetal. "Airbiquity and Arynga to make connected car software updates as seamless as consumer electronics". IoT Now. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- Baker, Sharon. "Airbiquity raises $7.5M to back wireless GPS system". Puget Sounds Business Journal. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- Engleman, Eric. "Deal with GM's OnStar saves Seattle's Airbiquity". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- Gill, Sharon. "Airbiquity deploys 10 million telematics solutions". TU-Automotive. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- Gill, Sharon. "America News: Airbiquity signs telematics deal with BMW". TU Automotive. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- Shariat, Jeff (24 February 2010). "Product Spotlight: Airbiquity aqLink". InTelematicsToday. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- "Airbiquity: "Choreo Is Used by Nissan, Infiniti, FCA, Ford and Renault"". GPS Business News. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- Arnason, Gulli (17 March 2016). "Airbiquity integrates vehicle infotainment applications". Financial News. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
- PR Newswire, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/airbiquity-bolsters-otamatic-security-and-data-analytic-features-in-latest-over-the-air-ota-software-and-data-management-offering-for-automotive-300764773.html (13 December 2018), Retrieved on 2019-01-03
- Hill, Kelly. "Airbiquity provides cloud-based smartphone integration for Nissan vehicles". RCR Wireless. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- Costlow, Terry. "AT&T, Airbiquity team up for connected-vehicle services". SAE International. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- Privat, Ludovic. "Continental to Resell Airbiquity Connected Car Service Platform". GPS Business News. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- "Airbiquity OTAmatic Named 2017 New Product of the Year by Business Intelligence Group". Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- "Stratus Awards for Cloud Computing". Business Intelligence Group. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- Leblanc, Emilie. "Past TU-Automotive Awards Finalists". www.tu-auto.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- "Past Historical rankings". www2.deloitte.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- "CW 100". connectedworld.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- "The Fastest-Growing Private U.S. Companies, At a Glance". www.inc.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- "2014 Edison Award Winners". www.edisonawards.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- "Airbiquity and Nissan North America, Inc. Honored with Smart Solution Spotlight Award for Electric Vehicle Telematics Technologies". www.itsa.org. Archived from the original on 8 November 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- "2013 Top 100 North America: Winners". www.redherring.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.