Benefits

Open-Source Operating System (OS)

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The AutoPi Telematics Management Unit (TMU) is powered by a robust operating system known as the AutoPi Core, which is built on the foundation of the widely popular Raspberry Pi OS. Designed with versatility and adaptability in mind, the AutoPi Core is primarily written in Python, a widely-used and versatile programming language. As an open-source platform, it enables you to leverage your existing knowledge and experience working with the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and experienced developers alike.

One of the key benefits of the AutoPi Core being open source is the opportunity it provides for the global community to contribute, modify, and enhance the source code. This collaborative environment fosters continuous improvement, resulting in a more powerful and adaptable system. It also means that the AutoPi TMU is less likely to become obsolete, as ongoing community support and development will ensure that it remains up to date with the latest advancements in technology.

Moreover, the open-source nature of the AutoPi Core means that the device will never be "bricked" or rendered unusable, as you have the ability to write your own software for the device. This level of customization allows you to tailor the functionality of the TMU to your specific needs, ensuring that it is a perfect fit for your individual requirements.

The source code for the AutoPi Core can be found on our GitHub repository at https://github.com/autopi-io. This repository serves as a hub for developers and enthusiasts to access the code, contribute their own enhancements, report issues, and collaborate on new features. By hosting the code on GitHub, we aim to foster an inclusive and innovative environment that encourages developers to work together to improve and expand the capabilities of the AutoPi TMU.

In addition to the core functionality provided by the AutoPi Core, there is a vast ecosystem of libraries, plugins, and modules available for the Raspberry Pi OS. These additional resources enable you to further customize your TMU, adding new features, and integrating it seamlessly with your existing systems. The flexibility of the AutoPi Core, combined with the wealth of available resources, makes the AutoPi TMU a versatile and powerful tool for a wide range of telematics applications.

Our commitment to open-source development also extends to our documentation and support materials. We provide extensive resources to help you get started with the AutoPi Core, including detailed guides, tutorials, and example projects. These materials are designed to help you unlock the full potential of the AutoPi TMU, whether you are a seasoned developer or just starting your journey with Raspberry Pi and Python.

In summary, the AutoPi Core is an open-source, Python-based operating system built on the Raspberry Pi OS, which powers the AutoPi Telematics Management Unit. This versatile and adaptable platform encourages community collaboration, ensures continuous improvement, and allows for extensive customization to meet your specific needs. With a wealth of resources and an active development community, the AutoPi Core and TMU provide a powerful and flexible solution for all your telematics needs.

Build customized solutions using your existing software

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The operating system running on the AutoPi TMU is called the AutoPi Core and is based on the Raspberry Pi The AutoPi Management Cloud let you set the behavior of the device by creating simple or advanced custom code solutions, adjust configurations, setup services to handle communication, requests, logging, and much more.

By controlling the data pipeline and having API access to both the AutoPi Management Cloud and the device, you can use our platform as an access point controlled by your existing software solutions. This way, all day-to-day management can be retained in systems your employers already know, with a few new features. With customized builds we grant you the flexibility to utilize our solution, in your way.

Modular Hardware (HW)

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The AutoPi Telematics Management Unit (TMU) device is ingeniously built on the foundation of the versatile Raspberry Pi platform, resulting in a standalone and scalable product that can be customized to suit a wide range of applications. Our standard edition is equipped with a Raspberry Pi 3A+, which provides a solid baseline of performance and connectivity. However, the AutoPi TMU is designed to be upgradable, allowing you to swap in other versions of the Raspberry Pi as needed. Upgrading the Raspberry Pi module can significantly enhance the device's capabilities, adding additional connectors such as Ethernet and USB ports, as well as providing increased computational power for more demanding use cases.

When ordering your AutoPi TMU, you have the option to specify which version of the Raspberry Pi you prefer, ensuring that the device arrives with the desired configuration right out of the box. Alternatively, you can also choose to upgrade the AutoPi TMU device yourself at any time, as your requirements evolve. This flexibility and upgradability make the AutoPi TMU a future-proof solution that can adapt to your changing needs.

In addition to supporting different versions of the Raspberry Pi, the AutoPi TMU device also features two extension ports, which further expand its functionality and customization potential. These extension ports allow you to connect various add-on modules to the central hardware without having to design and print custom Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). This modular approach simplifies the process of adding new features to your device, saving you time and effort while enabling you to create a truly bespoke solution.

The extension ports can accommodate a wide range of peripherals, such as microcontrollers for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) chips or RFID readers. By leveraging these expansion options, you can transform the AutoPi TMU into a multifunctional device that can perform tasks such as asset tracking, fleet management, and remote diagnostics, among others. The possibilities are virtually endless, limited only by your imagination and the available modules.

The AutoPi TMU's compatibility with various Raspberry Pi versions and its extension ports make it a powerful and adaptable tool for a diverse array of applications. Whether you are a hobbyist looking to create a unique project or a professional seeking a reliable and customizable telematics solution, the AutoPi TMU's flexibility and scalability make it the ideal choice.

Furthermore, the AutoPi community and Raspberry Pi ecosystem offer a wealth of resources, tutorials, and documentation to help you make the most of your device. This supportive environment makes it easy to learn, experiment, and share ideas with other enthusiasts, ensuring that you always have access to the latest innovations and best practices.

In summary, the AutoPi Telematics Management Unit (TMU) is a versatile and scalable device built on the Raspberry Pi platform, offering a high level of customization and upgradability. With support for various Raspberry Pi versions, extension ports for additional functionality, and a vibrant community of users and developers, the AutoPi TMU is the ultimate solution for all your telematics needs, both now and into the future.

Send Data Real-Time (RTD) or Store Locally

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With the AutoPi TMU device you can configure how often data should be uploaded to the cloud endpoint or stored on a local hard drive. Per default the device uploads the data to the AutoPi Cloud every 60 seconds but can be both lowered to e.g., 0 (for real-time data) or raised depending on your requirement. As for storage on a local hard drive, the information will be written to that unit on a local file as it is being logged with data persistence.

When uploading data, the device will buffer until it is configured to push. The ability to buffer also ensures that if you enter an area without cellular service, the data will be cached until you get reconnected. Because of the real time clock on the device all data points will still be true to the timeline of the trip, connected or not. If it is not critical to monitor the data you are logging while trips are ongoing, the AutoPi TMU can work without cellular connection at all, and rely on wi-fi networks only.

Device Power Management

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The AutoPi TMU device is designed with a Smart Power Manager (SPM) component on the AutoPi HAT board to control its power cycle. As we built the device on the Raspberry Pi, its power consumption follows accordingly. Therefore, to ensure your vehicles are always ready to drive, we give in-depth control of the power cycle of the device through 25 pre-defined configurations.

The power cycle is based around Sleep Timers, which works like that of a television. When a sleep timer is activated, it will power down the device to conserve the auxiliary battery. The shutdown will either put the device to sleep or in hibernate. The sleep timers works through events or different forms of inactivity and can be suppressed via events,schedule time periods , and voltage change.

Global Modem (4G/LTE)

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With the AutoPi TMU device you need to secure SIM cards on your own to connect the device to the cellular network, but the modem we use supports all global standard network frequencies. Meaning, you can change the APN setting of the device to the specific provider. The modem uses a 4G/LTE Cat 4 connection with 3G/EDGE fallback, with worldwide support.

The AutoPi TMU device can work in tether-mode, enabling you to get internet access in areas where you wouldn’t otherwise. We have devices and solutions running on all continents, except Antarctica. Per standard, the device comes with a global 4G/LTE modem, that is attached in a PCI mini express socket and can communicate with every frequency in the world. However, it’s possible to change it to NB-WIFI or LoRaWAN modem, without any hardware modification.

Remote Wake-up

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As your vehicle is turned off, the connected device will per default settings go to sleep to save power. However, you have ways to wake up the device remotely on demand. If you equip your AutoPi TMU device with SIM card bearing a phone number, you can enable a functionality to wake on SMS. Meaning, by sending an SMS to your device it will wake up, if it is in cellular coverage.

Use our team as a resource to customize your project

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Using the AutoPi TMU device gives you the freedom to choose how to build your project, as both the device and Cloud Platform can be customized and adjusted to meet your requirement. Customization of the AutoPi environment gives you the possibility to use our team to assist you in your development, increasing your capacity and having a faster time-to-market.

Our team are experts in working with the technology we built and are always looking forward to facing new challenges. The development tasks we can assist you with could be integration to assets, sensors, or existing software solutions, new functionalities or configuration of existing ones, formatting of data, and so on.

Automotive Protocol

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The AutoPi TMU devices are connected to vehicles around the world, and we are present on all continents. We communicate with vehicles through a SocketCAN interface using the can0 protocol. We can typically communicate with vehicles no matter their origin and the most typical protocols our clients use is the OBD-II protocol and SAE J1939.

Branding Possibilities

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Leverage on our support for white labelling of both the AutoPi Cloud and TMU. Brand either to meet legislations or requirements, while keeping the service and support from our team. By deciding on branding the AutoPi Cloud, we will set up a dedicated server at your specifications with custom URL, logo, and textual naming. For branding of the AutoPi TMU device a custom casing will be made with your logo engraved on it.

Cloud Add-ons

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With the AutoPi Management Cloud you get access to infrastructure for several functionalities in the add-ons section. The add-ons give you a foundation to build upon existing projects and configure them to your own requirements. Infrastructure already exists for functionalities such as Docker, Big Data, and Keyless Entry and New functionality infrastructures are added periodically. Regardless of the number of add-ons you use, the AutoPi Management Cloud is a one-sites-fits-all subscription model and is always charged at a flat rate.