Airtel launches eSIM for domestic connected car market

As a rising number of cars, particularly in the commercial and luxury consumer segments, get connected technologies for real-time, on-road analytics, telecom major Bharti Airtel on Friday launched an eSIM for the enterprise sector, specifically targeted at connected car deployments. In a statement, Airtel said that the eSIM will enable machine to machine (M2M) connectivity to enable always-on connections for industrial internet of things (IoT) deployment.

The move comes as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) issued a mandate to add location tracking to all commercial vehicles carrying “dangerous or hazardous goods”.

On August 22, a notification from MoRTH said, “The ministry has mandated that every vehicle of categories N2 and N3, manufactured on and after September 1, 2022 in the case of new models — and January 1, 2023 in the case of existing models — carrying dangerous or hazardous goods, shall be fitted with a vehicle tracking system device as per Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 140.”

The final draft of the AIS 140 standard was established in August last year by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an industry body featuring auto manufacturers in association with the union government’s Ministry of Industries. The standard lays down guidelines to establish an ‘intelligent’ transportation system in the country.

Under directive from the central government, states are expected to mandate the use of location tracking services in public transport services such as buses, as well as other commercial vehicle categories mentioned in the MoRTH notification.

An eSIM is an embedded chip that can be registered with different telecom operators. According to Airtel, its service will facilitate connectivity with different operators to ensure “always on” vehicle networks across India. In a statement, the company identified private fleet management operator LocoNav as one of the companies that are presently testing Airtel’s M2M eSIM service.

Other companies that offer fleet management and location tracking include the likes of WheelsEye and IT services firm Birlasoft’s auto arm, KPIT Tech.

Industry analysts and market researchers expect connected mobility services, such as Airtel’s offering, to expand in the coming years. However, given the amount of capital investments required to create an interconnected automotive industry, estimates project commercial vehicle connectivity to reach maturity no earlier than 2030.