Easelink and NXP Semiconductors are launching a positioning system for automated inductive charging based on UWB (ultra wide band) technology.
Using UWB modules built into both the vehicle-side connector and the charging pad in the parking space, the distance between the two is measured in real-time using time of flight measurements, and the position is shown to drivers on a display in the vehicle, allowing them to line up the vehicle to optimize parking and charging position.
When in position, the connector is lowered from the vehicle underbody near the front axle onto the charging pad on the ground. Once the system confirms its position, the driver clicks the charging symbol on the display, and it begins taking charge.
This system uses Easelink’s Matrix Charging technology:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_fNPJ9Cq-KE
UWB is a wireless technology that securely, precisely, and efficiently estimates the relative positions of two electronic devices, it’s already implemented in digital car keys, smartphones, and other tech. It is particularly suitable for assistance functions such as parking, which is why it has now been integrated into the two Matrix Charging® components (connector on the vehicle underbody and charging pad in the parking space) for precise positioning.
As part of the eTaxi Austria project, Matrix Charging® Pads were installed directly at the taxi stands. The jointly developed UWB-based positioning system from NXP and Easelink is already in use. The project will eventually see 60 e-taxis of models Hyundai Ioniq 5 and VW ID.4 equipped with Matrix Charging® in real-life operation, with access to 60 Matrix Charging® pads across 8 locations in Vienna and 2 locations in Graz. The first locations to go into operation in autumn of 2023 included Vorgartenstraße in Vienna and Schillerplatz in Graz. The project will run until March 2025.
Easelink, headquartered in Graz, Austria, is dedicated to the development of the automated conductive charging solution “Matrix Charging®” for electric vehicles. Easelink, with sites in Austria and China, currently has 45 employees and actively contributes to various standardization bodies for charging technology, such as the relevant working groups of the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIn), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). A number of leading automotive manufacturers and suppliers, infrastructure providers and vehicle fleet operators are already making use of the innovative Matrix Charging® technology.
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