HP and Cubic Team Up to Load Connected Car for Epic Race

There is about to be a race across the world. A team of drivers in a Volkswagen Touareg will drive 11,800 miles from the Cape of Norway in the north to the Cape of Africa at that continent’s extreme southern tip: CapetoCape. And the car will be loaded with HP hardware, and connected throughout the trip by IoT technology by global connectivity provider Cubic Telecom, based in Ireland.

The trip will go through 19 countries and about 20 different cellular providers’ home regions, creating a potential connectivity nightmare. HP asked Cubic to fix it. To do that, the company has outfitted the vehicle with its proprietary platform and chipset that allow the vehicle to interface with any carrier’s network, in any location as a local connection. As a result, the driver, vehicle and surrounding environmental data can be tracked and shared in real time on a continuous basis as it takes this incredible journey.

“For HP, the CapetoCape race aims to push the boundaries of the connected car space. But, to make this happen, it is critical that we have the best possible wireless connectivity at all times,” commented HP’s CapetoCape team. “We tapped Cubic Telecom for their ability to provide constant, robust connectivity everywhere.”

The initiative will allow fans to stay connected to driver stats, location updates and other details in real time. Researchers will also be able to collect data aimed at the advancement of autonomous vehicle technology, insurance data points, road conditions, driver vital signs and much more. By leveraging Cubic Telecom’s global connectivity platform, HP will be able to provide the highest quality output and constant stream of data and insights via the connected car.

“The Cape to Cape race is an amazing feat in stretching the very limits of human, automotive, machine-to-machine and wireless connectivity capabilities,” said Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom. “We’re excited to be the provider chosen to enable constant, global connectivity for what may be one of the harshest possible environments for the connected car.”

To follow the race, visit http://www.touareg-capetocape.com/home/.