Socket, USB and bolts: Tuc Plug is born, the universal connector for the car of tomorrow
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TUC Technology is the Deep Tech company founded by Ludovico Campana and Sergio Pininfarina with the purpose of provide a standard technology architecture for the vehicles of the future. After two years of development work, the Turin-based company presents TUC Plug 3.0, theElectromechanical USB which promises to revolutionize the concept of vehicle. The car identical to itself from sale to end of life belongs to the past, thanks to connector that allows you to furnish and customize the product. Lavazza, Samsun Knox and Adient stand out among the main partners in the project.
Three functions in one
The TUC Plug is a universal connector for any type of vehicle, defined by the CEO Ludovico Campana as the equivalent of the USB port applied to the mobility sector. The choice of the name is not accidental, given that plugin is the English term for socket. The idea is to replicate in the car what is present in all homesin which the tenants can furnish the apartment moving the various appliances to different points by plugging them into the socket. The principle is now also applicable in cars, leaning on the various connectors to install seats, steering wheel, screens and other accessories in the most disparate positions, effectively allowing the vehicle to be refurnished even after the sale. However, while the building electrical outlet is used for the passage of current and the USB ports of computers allow the transfer of data, TUC Plug combines three functions in one: structural and mechanical fastening; connectivity for data exchange between devices and vehicle; the passage of current to power the connected components.
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TUC Plug therefore contains within it the three fundamental elements of the vehicle interfaces, which becomes theequivalent of a smartphone. The USB of mobility embodies a universal connector that standardizes all data connection and energy transfer systems to enable the connection of new components, such as seats. Thus the very idea of the vehicle changes, going from a defined and immutable object on sale to one that can be defined by the customer during use. The user will be able to customize the product by integrating seats, dashboards and smart components, calibrating the customized mobility experience. The choice of the term “vehicle” underlines how much TUC Plug was not born exclusively for the car, but also for water, air and rail vehicles.
A network of connectors
The TUC Plug consists of two main elements: the female, the interface on the vehicle representing the main element, and the male, located on the component to be installed. Wanting to continue the similarity with household appliances, the female represents the socket, while the male embodies the plug. One of the many features of TUC Plug is its being multimodal, with the possibility of fixing the external component in 4 different positions at 360°. An electromechanical locking system registers the presence of the external device and, via a gear system, applies a tightening torque of up to 30 Nm. Made in Ergal, a highly resistant and light aluminum alloy, the connector complies with the highest safety standards . Since it is also used for critical components such as seats and steering wheel, it was essential to verify their solidity in the most rigorous crash tests.
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The various plugs in the vehicle are interconnected through a network, renamed Daisy Chain. As the name itself suggests, the architecture sees a chain of connectors that branches from the battery to each vehicle interface point. Interfaces that are both internal and external, with the possibility of installing bike racks, luggage racks and more. In addition to the standard TUC Plug, a smaller version has also been developed for smaller components such as the infotainment system. Furthermore, each connector has the Hyperboards System inside, a system of layered electronic boards that make it possible to exchange data, low and high voltage electricity at each interface.
Prototype and concept
During the presentation, TUC Technology also showed the first applications of its mobility USB. The first is a working prototype of a city car, a FIAT 500 on whose dashboard there are two TUC Plugs, for installing, for example, a steering wheel with wire-based steering system. The example also underlines how easily the vehicle can be adapted if sold in a right-hand drive country. The second product is the TUC Nest concept, defined as the TUC mobile bubble. In this there are 13 Plugs that can be orientated both longitudinally and transversely, so that it is possible to design the entire internal space to measure for the customers.
The author is editor of FormulaPassion.it
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