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Stop-start technology powers new skills programme for trade
publication date: Dec 5, 2011
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Johnson Controls predicts that by 2015, 70% of all new vehicles manufactured
will feature Start-Stop technology.
According to Joacim Adlerborn, Training and
Technical Services Manager at Johnson Controls, the majority of independent
workshops still feel ill-equipped to service these vehicles. |  |
"On the one hand 70% of independent workshops consider the subject relevant
for the near future," he says, "but 60% are still unprepared for repairing a
Start-Stop car, and 80% would even defer their customers to their vehicle
manufacturer dealer network."
At the heart of the VARTA Start-Stop Service programme(VSSP) is a wi-fi
diagnostic tool smaller than an iPad, which allow technicians to manage all the
steps necessary to test start-stop systems and replace the Absorbent glass mat
(AGM) or Enhanced Flooded (EFB) batteries they rely on to achieve fuel and CO2
emission savings of between five and 12%.
Stemming directly from a market survey of 1,200 workshops in Europe carried
out by Johnson Controls, the company has developed a compact and robust
electronic tool that is easy to operate and has access to all the latest data
at all times. Replacing a Start-Stop battery is not like replacing a
conventional car battery, as it is intricately linked to the on-board electronics
via a battery management system (BMS) or intelligent battery sensor (IBS).
The VSSP tool first ascertains the vehicle and battery type, and then
provides the technician with precise information on the position of the battery
(often hidden away in the boot or under the driver's seat) and the EOBD
(European on-board diagnostics) interface with the aid of a 2D code and VIN
number.
The technician is given a step-by-step guide to replacing the battery via
on-screen images and graphics using the touch screen. The VSSP 2.0 can also be
used to test the battery, evaluate or delete error codes and read individual
vehicle data. Armed with this information, the technician knows which
VARTA replacement battery is suitable for the vehicle.
By regularly connecting the device to Johnson Controls' secure area for
partners via wireless internet, workshops can keep the device up to date, as
well as access all relevant data on battery replacement online at any time.
Supporting the diagnostic tool is a full service programmedeveloped for
Johnson Controls by eXponentia to assist workshops in staff training. Johnson
Controls also offers technical support through e-learning via the internet.
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