South African Automotive Week
Part of the Internet of Things –
your Partner for the Future
The South African Automotive Week’s trade show section had a wide array of fascinating stands, and one of the
most fascinating was the T-Systems stand. aBr visited them to find out more.
W
e interviewed
point of differentiation,
Michael Frans,
and leveraging benefits
head of business
off the ‘connected car’
development for the
concept. IT can also
automotive sector at T-Systems
assist with process
South Africa, and Heinz Egeler,
optimisation and
vice president, automotive
cost reduction in fleet
global supplier at T-Systems
management and
International GmbH, and
logistics, amongst other
within minutes I had entered
benefits.
the new world of the internet
T-Systems, part of
of things. For those who
Deutsche Telekom,
like me are chronologically
is ideally suited to
challenged, or more accurately
be the partner to the
chronologically burdened, let
industry. Drawing on a
➲ Michael Frans and Heinz Egeler at the T-Systems stand at SAAW
me enlighten you what the
global infrastructure of
internet of things means, with
data centres and networks, T-Systems
the aid of Wikipedia: “the Internet of Things
lower fuel consumption and a greener
operates information and communication
(IoT) is the interconnection of uniquely
environment, giving rise to Electric
technology (ICT) systems for multinational
identifiable embedded computing devices
Cars or e-cars. This is possible through
corporations and public sector
within the existing Internet infrastructure.
collaboration between energy providers,
institutions.
Typically, IoT is expected to offer advanced
information technology (IT) enterprise
T-Systems provides integrated solutions
connectivity of devices, systems, and
and automotive manufacturers, creating
for the networked future of business
services that goes beyond machine-toa powerhouse of innovation and
and society. Some 50,000 employees at
machine communications (M2M) and
possibilities that can reduce the cost
T-Systems combine industry expertise
covers a variety of protocols, domains,
of travelling whilst lessening the impact
and ICT innovations to add significant
and applications. The interconnection
on our environment. It’s all about the
value to the digitisation strategies and
of these embedded devices (including
importance of IT across the spectrum of
core business of customers all over the
smart objects), is expected to usher in
manufacturing, assembling, processes,
world.
automation in nearly all fields, while also
planning, forecasting, and everything in
enabling advanced applications.”
between, and positively impacting costs
Since the inception of T-Systems in
and quality.
South Africa in 1997, the company has
Now that you are suitably enlightened,
cemented its position as one of the most
you will be able to understand what Frans
To do all this effectively requires the
successful T-Systems companies outside
and Egeler mean when they say that their
intervention of a partner that is globally
of Europe. A leading ICT outsourcing
mission is “to make the motor vehicle part
connected and positioned to provide
service provider locally, T-Systems offers
of the internet of things.” And they have to
strategic direction, as well as being
end-to-end ICT solutions in both the
do this in an increasingly fluid environment,
able to contribute towards lowering the
ICT Operations and Systems Integration
and with automotive manufacturers
cost of production as well as research
markets.
looking to find innovative and new ways of
and development, and delivering an
differentiating themselves by streamlining
important competitive edge. Examples
Their extensive portfolio of services
processes and reducing costs within
of innovation are 3D printing platforms,
covers the vertical, horizontal, IT and
their dealer networks and supply chains.
and opportunities within the e-car space,
TC space. T-Systems South Africa’s
Efficient information and communication
encompassing such things as backend
head office is located in Midrand with
technology systems are at the heart of this.
platforms that enable public charging
another major office in Cape Town, and
payment and management systems, the
T-Systems says that further impacting the
20 further representative offices in
provision of e-car charging stations as a
automotive industry is the move towards
locations throughout southern Africa.
| words in action
54
november 2014