Vision Marine Technologies has filed its fifth patent, for a vehicle control unit system developed to maximise the functionality of an intelligent electric marine powertrain.
Vision Marine says the latest patent filing underscores its innovative approach within the maritime sector.
The E-Motion VCU has taken more than five years of research and development in embedded software design.
It has been developed in-house for the E-Motion 180E powertrain and will control and monitor all functions and readings of the high and low voltage systems.
More than 12 components and 40 sensors are actively surveyed with connection integrity, and critical readings reviewed using advanced communication authentication and processing.
At the core of the E-Motion powertrain is the VCU, which acts as both a monitoring and control device.
“Our creativity is now limitless.”
Xavier Montagne, head of technology
Each equipment system will communicate with others while maintaining independent functionality with the system designed to ensure it operates at its full potential while creating a data-rich environment.
“We have decided from the beginning to develop all our electronics and embedded software in-house. It’s a huge task, but in the end it’s worth it,” said Xavier Montagne, head of technology at Vision Marine.
“Whenever we need to adapt to a new boat or improve our system with new features, we are completely free to do so. Our creativity is now limitless.”
And Vision Marine says that with over-the-air updates, it will be able to continuously innovate on data and software bases, enhancing the user experience and functions, offering boaters functionality comparable to electric automotive industry standards.
As the marine market evolves, such advancements will be crucial for the industry’s growth and sustainability, explained Xavier.
As the demand for reliable and efficient electric propulsion systems grows, embedded hardware enabled by software will be a key element in deploying electric propulsion solutions.
