EV charging network ChargePoint announced it is recruiting artificial intelligence (AI) to expedite the diagnosis and repair process of downed chargers. ChargePoint describes the new AI-powered driver support tool as the first of its kind in the EV charging industry, and it will help improve uptime and dependability issues across the network.
As we’ve pointed out several times, one of the biggest remaining hurdles to faster EV adoption is the presence of abundant and dependable charging infrastructure. Don’t get it twisted; EV chargers are more prevalent than ever. In the US alone, that tally has doubled under the Biden-Harris administration.
There are no signs of slowing down, either. Current charging networks like ChargePoint continue to expand, while several automakers have united to establish yet another EV charging network across North America. The more, the merrier.
That said, anyone who has driven an EV and tried public charging knows that just because the charger’s physical footprint is there doesn’t mean it’s working at its highest rate or, in many cases, working at all.
Having just recently hit one million global charging ports, ChargePoint is no stranger to the infrastructure game and has spent recent years expanding and implementing new technologies to help alleviate issues. For example, the network introduced a new “Omni Port” earlier this month that ensures EV drivers can charge at any ChargePoint space, combining multiple charging plugs into one single port.
Today, ChargePoint announced it is turning to AI to bolster dependability in its charging network by identifying issues more quickly.
ChargePoint looks to alleviate timely charger issues
This morning, ChargePoint announced plans to implement a new AI-powered driver support tool to “rapidly accelerate the diagnosis and repair of charging stations in the field.” ChargePoint says utilizing AI to identify physical charger issues can improve uptime and thus deliver better charging network reliability – something EV drivers have been pleading to have for years.
Top comment by Erik
It seems that ChargePoint wanted to say something about AI to increase the stock price. It is the same as .com in the 90s and blockchain in the 2010s.
It should not require AI to figure out what the issue is. Create some health checks and create some error codes.
The only times that they should need input from customers is when the power is out or the network is down. Even then they could have a backup battery and a cell radio. Even my home alarm system can communicate to the alarm company when I lose power and internet at home. I don’t need my neighbors to send a picture to the alarm company so that they can use AI to see what sensor tripped.
ChargePoint says its new AI-centric software is quite complex behind the scenes but has been designed to be user-friendly on the surface level, as EV drivers will need to assist in identifying issues.
EV drivers who encounter a nonfunctional charging station can report the issue and submit photos via an updated “report a problem” feature in the ChargePoint app. From there, the app will link the issue to the station’s location and analyze the images for anomalies using inputs utilized to train the technology for the EV charging domain.
Once the software identifies the issue, it sends a breakdown to ChargePoint’s Network Operations Center, which can assess and work on a quick fix. ChargePoint says this new process of identifying and analyzing charger issues eliminates the need for most on-site inspections, thus significantly shortening charger downtime. Per ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer:
By deploying AI technology that can diagnose hardware issues, ChargePoint has a critical new tool joining our Network Operations Center to ensure station uptime. This technology will enable us to triage and resolve physical issues that cannot not be detected via remote monitoring, demonstrating our commitment to innovations which deliver a reliable charging network.
ChargePoint states that EV drivers who report an issue will be able to track the charger’s repair status in their app. Additionally, any report submitted will automatically generate an alert for that station’s owner, again streamlining the repair process because those instances often require owner authorization. Learn more on ChargePoint’s website.
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