Digital device management at SWEG

Digitalisation has long been more than just a buzzword. How far along is SWEG to achieving a fully networked operating environment?

With the introduction and conversion of several software and hardware products, SWEG has laun ched a comprehensive digitalisation campaign and is now on target to achieving it. The tasks are com plex: on the one hand, the requests from transport contracts are increasing, and on the other hand, political and ecological expectations are growing. Passenger demands are also increasing in terms of information and communication. Simultaneous ly, economic pressure remains high. To master this balancing act, we are completely rethinking our company's processes and expanding our infras tructure.

How do you currently manage the large number of devices that are used on board your vehicles?

This task is like walking a tightrope, especially given the large number of our locations Baden Württemberg and over 500 on-board computers installed. So far, this has only been pos sible because individual colleagues have a wealth of experience and coordination within the team works smoothly. With the software-based device management system IVU.devices, additional on-board computers and peripheral devices such as validation machines or routers can be easily integrated that need to be integrated and managed remotely.

IVU's device management relies on a web-based architecture. What advan tages do you see in this?

For us as the SWEG Group, the focus is on the company's own data centre. We host our systems ourselves, so the ar chitecture of the software is of secon dary importance. We were particularly impressed by the new, visually appealing user interface design. In comparison to other software modules, this application can be operated more intuitively, making daily work easier.

What do you expect from IVU.devices in daily operations?

The IT solution is planned to reduce the workload of our drivers, our maintenan ce workshops and our employees in the bus control centres by largely automa ting fault rectification and reducing the coordination effort. Simultaneously, we are creating more transparency throug hout the company because relevant data is available centrally. This enables us to relieve heterogeneous legacy processes and position ourselves for the future as a centrally responsible specialist depart ment.

If in future you can recognise and pass on disruptions or maintenance requi rements during the trip, how will this change your processes?

Ideally, the maintenance workshop gets all the information it needs to repair the vehicle before it arrives and can react immediately. Some things can even be resolved remotely without anyone ha ving to intervene on site. Today, as the responsible department, we are often the last to find out about a problem. With IVU.devices, we can break this sequence and resolve disruptions faster, in a more targeted manner, and more efficiently in future. The new device management system not only simplifies the adminis tration of on-board computers, but also changes the communication channels and all associated processes.