First computers, then smartphones and tablets. Now the Internet has also conquered concrete objects and places. The Internet of Things, in Italian "internet of things" makes us think about the future but it is already a reality. A reality with enormous development prospects which can strongly affect the future of the Public Administration, of businesses, but also of ordinary citizens who, through a SIM and an app, could soon substantially change their lifestyle habits related to the automotive, agriculture, energy, relationship with your city.
As part of the "Internet of Things: live The Reality" event organized on 13 July in Rome by Vodafone Italia, FIRSTonline got to see some of the coolest IoT technologies out there. Some are already on the market, others are under development.
What struck us the most were the innovations related to the automotive world, with connectivity solutions that allow remote monitoring of the vehicle via a SIM and knowing where it is at all times, but also the numerous projects regarding smart homes and smart cities: We Bike, (created by Vodafone for Piaggio) which allows the user to stay connected to their bike using a simple App or smart parking: an application which allows you to find and book a parking space directly from your smartphone, receiving information on how to reach it.
FirstOnline, on the sidelines of the event, asked some questions about the Internet of Things to Manlio Costantini, Director of the Enterprise Division of Vodafone Italia, in order to understand not only what the future of this type of technology is, but also how much and when its diffusion will affect the reality of individuals, companies and the Public Administration. “Italy can play a global role in the Internet of Things – she said – a driving and decisive role. And Vodafone is a global leader, thanks to the tools and skills to accompany this process".
Doctor Costantini, on a practical level, how will the Internet of things change people's lives and the business of companies and when will this innovation become a reality, entering society predominantly?
“Like all innovations, the Internet of Things also takes some time, but follows principles so fast that they transform before our eyes. Until a few years ago this world was called M2M (Machine to Machine) today we call it the Internet of things. M2M because this business was born above all from an idea created in the Automotive sector because insurance companies, but also the car manufacturers themselves, understood that the inclusion of technology on board cars could represent a great added value.
Insurance companies in particular, through the IoT on board vehicles, can provide a much more personalized service to the customer, controlling the driving style, accessing a lot of data on the basis of which to stipulate a personalized policy according to the level of risk that each driver owns. This is just one of the examples and it is already a reality.
Another may be the manufacturers who insert a SIM in vehicles through which immediate contact can be established in the event of an accident, even allowing to call for help. There is also a very important human protection factor.
It is a constantly growing business. To date, to give an example relating to the insurance world, there are 300-400 thousand new insurance companies every month that include intelligence on board”.
And what about the other sectors?
“Today IoT is growing in two or three other very important sectors. Among them, home automation stands out, thanks to a technology that allows you to monitor the various rooms of the house. To give you an idea of a smart home, I'll give you an example: using a smart card you can tell if there's a gas leak or a water leak. The citizen who insures the house is warned in real time if there is a problem.
As far as smart cities are concerned, a smart city gives citizens a much more advanced service, ranging from intelligent waste collection to different management of mobility and tourist flows. Smart Cities means making citizens more involved in daily life.
Another sector that is about to take off is the health sector. These are the "worlds" in which we already see concrete implementations with significant volumes that bring benefits either to the citizen or to the customers".
But I imagine that this innovation will also have quite high costs…
“There are costs, but there are very important returns. To date, 25% of companies have already started projects in the IoT area and 85% of projects already started have returns within a year.
Companies can monitor their products, guarantee a higher and more timely level of assistance, intervening in real time if the machine has problems. The entire maintenance process is implemented and we are talking about one of the most expensive aspects for businesses. They are industrial processes that through innovation have tangible benefits”.
What are the prospects for development of the sector and what are those relating to a possible return on investment, also for you at Vodafone?
“Vodafone aims to be the best partner for companies, providing significant added value and obtaining healthy results. Thanks to the acquisition of Cobra, a company in the telematics sector, which has now become Vodafone Automotive, we are able to give the customer not only connectivity, but also hardware and telematic services such as, for example, UBI services (Usage Based Insurance ), insurance with intelligence on board. Another example could be Wi bike, the connected bicycle developed for Piaggio. The customer has a complete package and through a single supplier can cover all his needs and therefore the company (Vodafone ed) manages to have an important economic return”.
The smart cities sector involves different offers, which however seem to refer to a similar basic idea: that of making cities work better from the point of view of mobility. It seems like a utopian project especially for large cities. When, in your opinion, will all this become reality?
“I can't reveal everything to you, but we are working on important projects with major Italian cities and we hope to be able to announce them shortly. You have touched on a very interesting point relating to the Public Administration. Public Administrations are now starting to follow the logic of private companies. To date, we see administrators who are thinking of making a 360-degree smart city design, concerning mobility, safety, leading, touching a large part of the citizens' experience. Others, on the other hand, are starting from a limited area, experimenting with the results and then proposing a development plan.
We at Vodafone have the same approach towards the PA that we maintain with private individuals. The PA must invest to see both a return in terms of relations with citizens and an economic return".
But investing in this sector for the PA also means making huge expenses, at least at an initial level
“I'll answer by citing the case of the Province of Cuneo grappling with the problem of potholes, a bit like Rome. Previously the task of repairing the damage was given to external teams. This is also a cost to the Administration. We have found a solution: every team that goes to fix a hole has an object that monitors its movements. Therefore, if the hole is located in a point X, the Administration can verify that the team is actually going there, calculating the times and at the same time guaranteeing greater safety for the workers. With this system it is also possible to understand the time needed to repair the damage. These are things that save 40% of operating costs and the return on investment can take place in eight months, after which the profit arrives. Using technology to improve projects brings measurable benefits, including economically”.
As for utilities. Some proposals could affect the relationship between citizens and energy, I'm thinking of meters. What is the purpose of your proposal?
“Utilities themselves realize that it is essential, in a competitive market, to cultivate a relationship of trust with the customer and this can only happen by giving customers greater awareness of both consumption and the way in which it can be improved. Through innovation, the consumer can control consumption, but also know if he has forgotten the light on when leaving the house or realize if an appliance has higher-than-normal consumption”.
