Smart tech changes prolong product-relevance

In the past, it’s been difficult for the manufacturing industry to update the product portfolio without continuous efforts and investments. As technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning and cloud solutions merge, new forces are being released for product development and building long-term customer relationships.

Is there a smart way to deliver product improvements at a comparatively low cost? Many manufacturing CTOs want to remain competitive through new launches but without costly changes to existing products. Here, IoT has opened a whole new world, something that the IoT specialists Mobica, a part of Cognizant, work with daily.

“We’re now seeing an increased application of, for example, more human interfaces through speech recognition, natural dialogues, intelligence and user-adapted functionality. All to keep the product relevant longer, while it is still being used,” says Roland Revsäter who leads Cognizant Industrial IoT in Sweden.

More opportunities to improve customer experience

Which techniques are involved? As, for example, cameras, sensors and AI chips have become both cheaper and more advanced, there are now several solutions that more or less can be implemented straight away: like cameras that can be combined with analysis functions and computing power, over-the-air technology (OTA) that allows important software updates to take place via a central platform instead of in each device, as well as abstraction layer (HAL) which makes software development independent of the hardware to simplify product development.

“Many companies want to build a long-term relationship with customers, an obvious trend in, for example, the car industry,” says Roland Revsäter. “We help a large Nordic company to implement several of these technologies to extend the life of the products, make the experience more personal and help their customers make sustainable choices.”

New insights strengthen the ability to develop.

The benefits then? In addition to faster product development and safer products, the interconnected solutions provide new insights that enable the manufacturer to further advance product development, meet customer needs and create more revenue streams. Coupled with the power of AI, a seemingly simple technology change can quickly bring big profits, increase innovation and strengthen customer relationships.

Read more in the e-guide Seven simple solutions that are supercharging manufacturers’ products and visit our manufacturing section.