Telematics box quick teardowns

[DDY]

UPDATE: 23/05/15 - I did a teardown on another telematics box, check out post #8 for teardown number two.

Remember when I said:

... there isn't a cost or a need to return the box once the policy is over.

... while referring to an insurance policy with a telematics box, well that policy is over so naturally I took a peek inside.

So here's "the box" and a hardwired accelerometer or some such device.


Nothing particularly interesting on the back, just a port for power.


The insides: (IMEI number covered up)


The other side of the board:


NiMH battery:


Accelerometer, I don't know what's inside, it's completely potted and I don't want to take it apart, it may come in handy for a future project.


That's all, no surprises really.

Observations:
- ARM9 microcontroller with onchip receiver for various satellite navigation systems, e.g. GPS. Chip by ST.
- 2Mb SRAM by ISSI.
- 16MB? flash by Spansion.
- Off-the-shelf GSM module by Telit.
- SIM chip is flat packaged and soldered directly to mainboard, appears the GSM service is with Telenor, there are also jumpers for Vodaphone and Tim.
- All antennas are printed on the mainboard.
- Everything except for a single connector is SMD.
- Multi-layer PCB (4 layer?).
- Nicely assembled, it's not as rugged as I thought it could be but that's to be expected, considering these things are semi-disposable and are built to a tight budget.
- NiMH battery used instead of lithium to save on cost? Since size and weight isn't important.

One last note, even though my new insurance company (also telematics) is with the same group as my last one, they couldn't reuse the box so a new one was fitted. The new box looks similar but is a different model, unfortunately there's no chance of having a closer look for the time being, I don't want to the box to inadvertently "detect" that the car has lost power, rolled several times and has gained 8m of elevation.

[GoNz0]

the temptation to toss one out of a plane then phone up to say you had a minor shunt

[Butcher]

How has it been having the box? Much difference in premium?

I'm a bit concerned about them as the companies are so coy about what they call "good driving", all it takes is them to suddenly reduce the maximum acceleration they call good and your driving could go from "good" to "bad" overnight without warning. At least if they had published rules you'd know what they were looking at.

[DDY]

How has it been having the box? Much difference in premium?

I'm a bit concerned about them as the companies are so coy about what they call "good driving", all it takes is them to suddenly reduce the maximum acceleration they call good and your driving could go from "good" to "bad" overnight without warning. At least if they had published rules you'd know what they were looking at.

The only reason I opt for telematics insurance is the lower premium. It's my first car, I live in inner London and I'm in my early 20's so car insurance is going to be expensive telematics box or not, but, the difference in premium is huge.

Year 1, £1100 vs. £2000
Year 2, £700 vs £1200

That's comprehensive telematics with a reasonable excess versus the cheapest non-tele TPO insurance. Non-tele TPFT and FC would be closer to £3000 with excess in the thousands.

I doubt any solid rules could be set, there are just too many what-ifs, the telematics system isn't that accurate and in my opinion also limited on capabilities.

[scott1541]

So I see these 'black boxes' are rather simple and boring inside. I couldn't ever have one in my car when I actually get one, my right foot is a little heavy

[wasabi]

Wow. Much money. Glad I'm old. Can afford to keep two fast cars and a motorbike on the road for less than what you guys pay for one small car

[psi]

Thanks for opening it, I wondered if these actually contained anything or were just used as a placebo by insurers!

[DDY]

Telematics box quick teardown number two!

My latest telematics box insurance lapsed so I ripped the box out of my car and pulled it apart.

As it was pulled from the car:


Top? side:


Bottom side, covered up some of the info, in case I decide to salvage the wireless module:


Back, like the earlier box there's a port for power and a semi-hardwired accelerometer/orientation sensor cable:


The sensor, exactly the same as the Octo:


Shhhhh:


The cap is held on with plastic clips, there are no bolts or screws anywhere to be found on this unit:


The board is held in with plastic rails and just pulls out, the battery is stuck to the inside with double sided sticky foam:


The cell, 3.7V LiPo 700mAh:


Interesting side:


Boring side:


Observations:

- About the same physical size as the Octo (the earlier box),
- Uses exactly the same sensor as the Octo,
- Build quality feels much cheaper than the Octo, thinner plastic, doesn't take much to pull it apart,
- Uses a 3.7V 700mAh LiPo cell where the Octo uses a NiMH 4.8V 300mAh battery,
- PCB is 4 layered like I think the Octo is, but only one side is populated with components (Octo is populated on both)
- Everything on the board is surface mounted
- Uses two processors, both with RAM and flash in package
+ The big QFP: Renesas M30879FLAFP MCU, 32MHz CISC, 1024KB flash, 48KB RAM,
+ The tiny QFP (top left), handles the satellite stuff (GPS/Galieo/QZSS,Glonass), STA8088FG, ARM9 208MHz, 16Mb Flash, 256Kb SRAM.
- The Octo uses one MCU, STA8088EXG, about the same as the above but without the onboard flash, why the need for two MCUs, hmm....
- Telit GL865-QUAD wireless module,
- Embedded SIM like the Octo,
- Mobile comms antenna is printed on the circuit board but check out that funky ceramic GPS antenna on the far top left,

That's it for now. My new insurance policy isn't telematics so no box to teardown next year :/