Low Battery Handling

Low battery handling ensures customers only see vehicles with sufficient charge for their rides. The system automatically hides vehicles below a configurable battery threshold and can send email alerts to your operations team.

Overview

When a vehicle's battery drops below the minimum threshold, it's automatically hidden from the mobile app. This prevents customers from unlocking vehicles that may not complete their intended ride, reducing support issues and improving customer satisfaction.

Key Features

• Automatic hiding - Low battery vehicles removed from customer view
• Configurable threshold - Set minimum battery percentage per location
• Email alerts - Notify operations team when vehicles need charging
• Real-time monitoring - Battery levels updated via IoT telemetry
• Dashboard visibility - See all low battery vehicles in one view

How It Works

IoT device reports battery level
         ↓
System updates vehicle record
         ↓
Customer opens mobile app
         ↓
Nearby vehicles API checks each vehicle:
    Battery >= minimum threshold?
    ├── Yes → Include in nearby list
    │         Customer can see and unlock
    └── No  → Exclude from list
              Vehicle hidden from app

Configuring Battery Threshold

Setting the Minimum Battery

Recommended Thresholds

Factors to Consider

1. Average ride distance - Longer typical rides need higher thresholds
2. Charging infrastructure - More chargers allow lower thresholds
3. Rebalancing frequency - Frequent rebalancing enables lower thresholds
4. Vehicle range - Larger battery capacity allows lower percentages
5. Customer expectations - Tourism fleets may need higher buffers

Email Alerts

Enabling Low Battery Alerts

Alert Triggers

Email Content

Low battery alert emails include:

• Vehicle number and location
• Current battery percentage
• Last known GPS coordinates
• Time since last telemetry update
• Link to vehicle in dashboard

Dashboard Monitoring

Viewing Low Battery Vehicles

1. Go to Dashboard → Vehicles
2. Click the Battery filter
3. Select Low Battery to see vehicles below threshold

Dashboard Indicators

Map View

The map displays battery status for each vehicle:

• Color-coded markers by battery level
• Filter to show only low battery vehicles
• Quick access to vehicle details

Mobile App Behavior

What Customers See

When a vehicle is below the minimum battery threshold:

• Not visible on the map
• Not listed in nearby vehicles
• Cannot be scanned via QR code
• Cannot be unlocked via vehicle number

Customer Experience

Customer opens app in area with 10 vehicles
         ↓
3 vehicles are below 20% battery
         ↓
Customer sees 7 available vehicles
         ↓
Hidden vehicles appear once charged above threshold

IoT Battery Reporting

Telemetry Updates

Battery levels are updated via IoT device telemetry:

Data Fields

The system tracks multiple battery values:

Accuracy Considerations

1. Reporting lag - Some delay between actual and reported levels
2. Calibration - Battery percentage estimation varies by vehicle
3. Temperature effects - Cold weather affects readings
4. Age degradation - Older batteries may report inaccurately

Operational Best Practices

Proactive Charging

1. Monitor dashboard regularly - Check low battery counts
2. Set up email alerts - Get notified automatically
3. Schedule charging runs - Regular rebalancing routes
4. Track patterns - Identify high-drain areas

Charging Workflow

Response Priorities

Troubleshooting

Vehicles Not Hiding

1. Check threshold setting - Verify minimum_battery_percent in Settings
2. Verify IoT reporting - Check last telemetry timestamp
3. Confirm vehicle subaccount - Setting applies per subaccount
4. Check vehicle status - Must be "available" to show anyway

Incorrect Battery Readings

1. Verify IoT connection - Check device is reporting
2. Review telemetry data - Look for anomalies in logs
3. Check calibration - Some devices need recalibration
4. Contact IoT provider - May be hardware issue

Alerts Not Sending

1. Verify alert enabled - Check low_battery_alerts setting
2. Check recipient email - Must have operational_alerts_email set
3. Review email deliverability - Check spam folders
4. Confirm threshold crossed - Alert only on threshold breach

API Reference

Get Nearby Vehicles (Mobile)

GET /api/mobile/vehicles/nearby?lat=40.7128&lng=-74.0060

Response only includes vehicles above minimum battery threshold for the subaccount.

Vehicle Battery Data

{
  "id": "uuid",
  "vehicle_number": "V001",
  "vehicle_battery_pct": 85,
  "iot_battery_pct": 92,
  "last_telemetry_at": "2025-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

Settings Structure

{
  "vehicles": {
    "minimum_battery_percent": 20
  },
  "email_notifications": {
    "operational": {
      "low_battery_alerts": true
    },
    "recipients": {
      "operational_alerts_email": "ops@example.com"
    }
  }
}