Technology Trending: Smart home EV charging, DEWA’s customer centre, smart city app

EV charging comes to Samsung’s SmartThings, DEWA’s customer care centre goes voice-based and a San Antonio ‘smart city’ app(roach) that could be emulated are on the week’s technology radar.

EV charging comes to Samsung’s smart home app

Samsung’s smart home app SmartThings continues to gain functionalities with its latest inclusion of an electric vehicle charging facility.

The EV charger is being implemented in partnership with the US EV charging infrastructure provider EvLoop and is aimed to enable users to better manage and monitor their vehicles’ charge.

With this new feature, users will be given help to manage EVs and other heavy energy using devices and they will be able to stay informed across multiple screens in the house, including mobile, TV and fridge.

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The news follows the recent announcement by Samsung of a partnership with Chameleon Technology’s consumer brand ivie to encourage British homes with smart meters to participate in the ‘demand flexibility service’ over the 2023/24 winter season by reducing their electricity usage at specific times when supply is most in demand.

With a ‘set and forget’ approach to connected appliances through SmartThings, which works in tandem with ivie’s flex scheme, participants are set to be rewarded both financially due to the reduced usage but also by way of raffle prizes including energy-efficient appliances such as dishwashers.

DEWA’s customer care centre goes voice-based

The approach to a customer call centre may not be everyone’s preferred one but Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) ‘Integrated Digital Interactive Hub’, as the company now styles its customer care centre, appears to be popular having been reported as being ranked among the top three government call centres in the emirate.

Delivered in a partnership with the American multinational technology company Avaya, the centre enables DEWA customers to access a wide range of services through an interactive voice system that is empowered by AI and available around the clock.

The partnership also has established the DEWAverse’ platform in the metaverse world, enabling customers to communicate with the customer care centre staff to get answers to their inquiries and receive the necessary assistance to complete their transactions in the metaverse.

At the same time, the traditional communications channels do continue to be available, i.e. calls, email, video, or text chat, and are said to be fully integrated to transition seamlessly from one medium to another.

A San Antonio ‘smart city’ app(roach) that could be emulated

Continuing with the ‘voice’, an example from outside the energy sector that could be adopted within is the implementation of a chatbot to enable consumers to obtain information on major road construction projects in the Texas city, San Antonio, US.

The ‘Talkin’ Broadway’ chatbot can be accessed either via a message or QR codes placed along the Broadway area to provide construction updates and schedules, with its implementation due to frustrations by business owners and consumers over lengthy constructions and blocked accesses across the city.

‘Conversations’ may be had in both English and Spanish and in addition, the chatbot provides access to a wealth of other city information, including business websites, city staff contact details and even where to obtain a cup of coffee.

Brian Dillard, San Antonio’s chief innovation officer, says: “Talkin’ Broadway isn’t just a chatbot. It’s a conversation starter, bringing us closer to our community and transforming the way the city connects with visitors and residents.”

While the chatbot is the first project of its kind in San Antonio, it forms part of its smart city roadmap to use technology and innovation in local government to solve problems.

And with major infrastructure projects for renewable generation and the transmission and distribution networks set to increase, it could well serve as a low-cost model – San Antonio’s first year contract for the technology cost just $14,000 – to engage consumers in these.