UK tech firms combine to develop range predicting software for EVs

Two UK technology companies have joined forces to bring accurate range prediction and optimised fuel efficiency to the electric vehicle market.

Hypermile and Spark EV Technology, two companies specialising in AI-powered technology for the automotive industry, have united to bring their project, Co-pilot, to the market through a £400,000 Innovate UK grant.

Hypermile, an automotive autonomy company, will head up the collaboration to develop the product aimed to benefit the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market – from the manufacturing process to the end-user.

Co-pilot is a hardware and software solution, designed for battery electric vehicles to optimise energy efficiency, allowing drivers to travel even further on a single charge and aimed at eliminating range anxiety and battery over-specification.

The new system uses computer vision and artificial intelligence to assess when it is best suited for the vehicle to coast – using no energy – and when to maximise the percentage of braking, a variable that is regenerative, helping to recharge the vehicle’s battery.

The software will leverage Spark EV’s range prediction technology to analyse real-world variables such as traffic, weather, and driver behaviour to provide data on how far the vehicle can travel before needing to be recharged. Replacing the driver with driver profiles in their prediction engine depending on the journey requirements is an important area of innovation for Spark as it begins identifying opportunities in the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) applications.

Jakub Langr, co-founder of Hypermile, said: “This collaboration is a massive step in the right direction for the electric vehicle industry. The outcome of this project could be the solution to a number of issues preventing the widespread adoption of battery-powered vehicles.”

Justin Ott, CEO of Spark EV Technology, added: “Co-pilot will allow us to look at how different driver profiles can affect range accuracy and utility in autonomous electric vehicles.”

“As the automotive industry continues its drive towards an electrified future, projects such as this will play a considerable role in the way we utilise these systems in both low-emission commercial and passenger vehicles.”