For years, experts and interest groups have been discussing how to master the increasing use of electronics in classic and vintage cars and the problems associated with their maintenance, preservation and replacement. By joining forces, they are now close to a solution that offers more than a glimmer of hope.
Stage 1 - central service center provides advice
Under the leadership of FIVA and its national representatives, manufacturers, their suppliers and service partners were brought together for a joint congress and concrete solutions were developed.
From now on, owners of classic or modern classics suffering from electronic problems will be helped, regardless of whether they drive a BMW M1, an Aston Martin Lagonda or a Peugeot 205 GTI.
Three central hotlines have been set up for English, French and German, which can be called in the event of electronic problems.
In order to participate in this program, the vehicle owner must register the vehicle in advance. This makes it possible to plan resources better, determine requirements and speed up problem assistance, as vehicle data no longer needs to be exchanged over the phone.
The Service Center, which is jointly operated by manufacturers, clubs, interest groups and service providers, has all the information available today, such as component descriptions, wiring diagrams, supplier lists, software versions, etc., so that the right answers can be found quickly.
Stage 2 - Online diagnostics thanks to integrated transponder
In a second expansion stage, the service will be substantially improved with the DEH (= Direct Electronic Help) transponder. This small electronic component, which will be available this summer, can be linked directly to the on-board electronics and allows fault memories and sensor values to be read out, as well as remote diagnosis of the source of the problem. The necessary connectors and port programming are already available for the most important 200 vehicles.
For classic and vintage car owners who have a DEH transponder of this type in their vehicle, the DEH Service Center can access the vehicle electronics in the car directly via the built-in SIM card and, similar to what the car repair shops do in modern cars, immediately make a correct diagnosis of the problem. Depending on the situation, the fault can be rectified by direct software intervention or at least a parts list of the parts to be replaced or further tested can be created.
Further functions for the DEH transponder are conceivable in the future, such as localizing or even immobilizing a vehicle via the device in the event of theft. The transponder, which is installed under the dashboard or in the engine compartment, is invisible from the outside and does not affect H-registration or the veteran's pass in Switzerland.
As soon as transponders with the necessary plug connections and programming are available for a specific vehicle, registered car owners will be automatically informed and invited to order the 12 cm long component, which should cost around EUR 230 or CHF 280.
Fréréric Gaussenot, the FIVA Technical Manager responsible for the DEH initiative, one of FIVA's 38 strategic thrusts, told Zwischengas at Techno Classica: "This is a major milestone and an important step towards safeguarding the existence and future of this cultural asset on wheels. The DEH transponder will soon be standard equipment for classic and vintage cars built in the 1980s and 1990s, not least because of the transponder's low price and the round-the-clock availability of the service."
Level 3 - the universal engine electronics with a future
But it gets even better! In a third phase, partly running parallel to the second phase, a universal and programmable electronic control system is being developed in cooperation with manufacturers and suppliers for the most popular classic cars aged between 12 and 30 years, which will replace parts of the on-board electronics and can be adapted to the respective vehicles using free software (open source). As a side effect of the optimized and significantly more powerful electronics, fuel consumption should then fall and engine performance increase in many vehicles.
Register now
If you would like to find out more about the FIVA-DEH program and register your vehicle today, the FIVA-DEH website is now available. Of course, all information will be treated confidentially and only for the purpose of the program.
