IoT Deals & Partnerships: Mitsubishi, Soracom, UnaBiz and More

From Mitsubishi’s collaboration with Blackberry to power new in-vehicle automotive systems to Soracom’s partnership with UScellular to deliver low-cost IoT data for U.S. use cases, here are some of the latest deals and partnerships from the world of IoT.

Mitsubishi Electric Selects BlackBerry to Power New In-Vehicle System 

Mitsubishi Electric and BlackBerry have announced a partnership under which BlackBerry will provide its edge-to-cloud vehicle data platform, BlackBerry IVY, to power Mitsubishi’s automotive in-cabin system, Mitsubishi Electric FLEXConnectTM.

The collaboration will help advance road safety by leveraging a range of sensor data to anticipate safety risks, reduce driver distractions and highlight potential driving hazards. 

“With its advanced safety features, intuitive interface, and enhanced sensory feedback, Mitsubishi Electric FLEXConnectTM establishes a new cabin experience standard,” said Mark Rakoski, Mitsubishi’s vice president of advanced engineering. “With BlackBerry IVY, we’re able to bring innovations like this to market faster, and in full confidence that the security and privacy of user data is protected.” 

The Mitsubishi Electric FLEXConnectTM platform core is its driver monitoring system and occupant monitoring system. BlackBerry IVY allows the platform to extract and analyze data from internal and external sensors, and leverages machine learning to process all data collected at the vehicle edge compute node.  

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Safety features include determining driver distraction and concentration levels by detecting signs of drowsiness, collecting biometric information to provide insight into short- and long-term changes to a driver’s physical status and analyzing facial features to create personalized identification profiles for automated verification.  

Soracom, UScellular to Deliver Low-Cost IoT Data 

Soracom has partnered with UScellular on a new IoT data plan, designed to “simplify” data costs and ensure future-proof regulatory compliance for U.S. IoT use cases. 

The Plan-U.S. offers nationwide, multicarrier 4G, 5G, LTE-M and NB-IoT data, for maximum coverage density even in remote areas.

"Coverage you can count on is everything in IoT, thus we have looked for ways to provide denser coverage for less populated areas in the U.S.," said Kenta Yasukawa, Soracom’s CTO. "For customers with predictable data needs, Soracom Plan-U.S. combines the simplicity of bundled data with the power of cloud-native 5G, LTE-M and NB-IoT to put IoT projects on a fast track to scale."

“We’re excited to work with Soracom to provide a seamless wireless experience for our customers with IoT and M2M application needs and help get them connected wherever they are,” said Kim Kerr, UScellular’s senior vice president.

UnaBiz Provides 3,000 Temperature Sensors to TotalEnergies Service Stations

UnaBiz has been selected to provide temperature-monitoring sensors to more than 160 of TotalEnergies’ motorway service station stores.

The refrigeration temperature sensors are powered by Sigfox 0G technology, automatically recording temperature readings in the refrigerated areas and ensuring health and safety standards are adhered to. 

Temperature data is also transmitted to a staff-accessible database, allowing workers to keep tabs on product temperature and any potential issues.

Additionally, the sensors provide an analysis tool, ensuring product traceability and data accuracy. They also aid in energy conservation by preventing unnecessary energy costs associated with improperly regulated storage temperatures.

The companies’ three-year partnership is currently being extended to other TotalEnergies service stations in Europe and Africa.

“UnaBiz is proud to play a key role in this initiative, providing essential components and expertise for the deployment and maintenance of the system,” said Arnaud Tayac, UnaBiz France’s general manager. “Our partnership with TotalEnergies is a concrete example of how Sigfox 0G technology can be used to optimize operational processes.”

Trimble, Kyivstar Installing Connectivity Network in Ukraine 

Trimble and Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest telecommunications company, are partnering to install a new Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network, providing Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) correction services across the country. 

The new service will have particular use cases in the agricultural and construction industries. 

Under the partnership, Trimble will provide its software and hardware positioning technology to provide users with “high accuracy real-time or post-processed GNSS corrections data,” according to the partners. The network will be available to users as an annual subscription service. 

"We understand how important it is to invest in Ukraine's economy right now, which is why we continue to launch technological solutions that will help businesses work even more efficiently," said Illya Polshakov, Kyivstar’s new business development director. 

“For agriculture, construction, geospatial and IoT professionals who rely on centimeter-level accuracy, the Kyivstar network will provide a robust and reliable positioning solution,” said Olivier Casabianca, Trimble’s vice president. “This will help their customers optimize workflows, improve productivity and deliver operational efficiency.”

The first phase of the installation will include 41 communication towers and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The second phase will consist of 150 additional towers and is expected to be completed in 2024. 

Artefact Joins AWS Partner Network for Data Transformation 

Artefact, a data consulting services specialist, has joined Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help customers “accelerate their transition to data-driven organizations,” as well as deploy AI and machine learning to improve efficiencies. 

Artefact combines AI with data consultancy services, with a focus on change management and building data-driven organizational cultures, based on different industry needs.  

Artefact offers data acceleration programs on subjects such as deploying data governance, data platforms and Artefact’s AI Factory; AI solutions covering demand forecasting, data-driven supply chain, customer service and generative AI applications.

“Being a global AWS partner will enable our customers to benefit from the rapid deployment of cloud-based innovation via the extensive range of cutting-edge AWS applications available, including its new generative AI capabilities,” said Vincent Luciani, Artefact’s CEO. “This dovetails into our end-to-end, data-driven approach to projects which underpins strategies and tactics designed to enable organizations to deliver on their business objectives.”

Sekura.id, XConnect to Combat Digital Identity Fraud

XConnect has partnered with Sekura.id, a provider of mobile identity data, to combat digital identity fraud for global banks, fintech innovators and crypto and consumer brands. 

Under the partnership, Sekura.id will provide real-time customer insight from mobile operators, giving XConnect mobile intelligence capabilities that can help with customer ID verification and secure online authentication. 

Through the partnership, XConnect gains access to direct, live mobile data with coverage spanning across six continents. 

“Verifying a user’s digital identity is an increasing challenge for players in the banking and fintech industry,” said Tim Ward, XConnect’s vice president of number information services. “As mobile technology continues to evolve, its use as a data source will increase and create new vulnerabilities for banking, fintech, and consumer brands.

“We need to ensure we have the right technology solutions to remove risk effectively. By leveraging Sekura.id’s MNO APIs, we are strengthening our anti-fraud proposition and protecting enterprises from identity theft.”

“Mobile phones have now become intertwined as part of our identities,” said Mark Harvey, Sekura.id’s CEO. “Yet, the rapid adoption of these mobile services brings its own problems as online services cannot keep up with the evolving fraud ecosystem. Our partnership with XConnect is enabling us to lead the fight against digital identity fraud. Through our low-latency, real-time mobile intelligence APIs, we are helping telcos with fintech and tier-1 banking customers build seamless anti-fraud and account takeover protection to overcome growing risks.”