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Daniel Zaichik

ACO Series In-Vehicle Fanless Computers

Updated: Apr 16, 2022



Our in-vehicle computers are designed and validated to operate in a variety of edge computing applications from mass transportation, railway and transit, security and surveillance, and automotive market segments. The vehicle-mounted computers can operate in the harshest environmental conditions while delivering mission-critical reliability in autonomous and remote edge deployments.

Designed to eliminate detrimental downtime, these customizable in-vehicle computers are ideal for local processing and inference analysis at the edge in real-time. Our wide portfolio of embedded computers features the latest Intel processing technology, IoT-supported LTE connectivity, security, and certified industrial reliability. The ACO Series in-vehicle computer is engineered with a rugged fanless design that provides optimal performance and durability in remote applications. Accelerate your IoT deployments for computing and connectivity with ruggedized in-vehicle computers

Power Ignition Management

The ACO series in-vehicle computers are specialized to cooperate with vehicle engine systems and feature intelligent power ignition management for safe computing operation when sourcing power supply from a vehicle battery. Configurable for both 12V and 24V systems, the power ignition management sets an adjustable delay timer for powering the computer on/off and preventing data corruption from improper shutdowns.

Power Protection

Integrated power protection provides an additional layer of security to safeguard electronic components from sudden voltage changes and other critical disaster situations that are often faced in automotive and transportation deployments. C&T’s in-vehicle computers sustain wide input voltage to cope with fluctuating battery levels and engine cranking to keep the system operating when voltage droops low. Conversely, the ACO series also protects against overvoltage, overcurrent, and reverse polarity by rerouting circuits to stabilize the electronics.


Modular Expandable PoE/ Lan Ports For Security & Surveillance In Mass Transit

Superior I/O flexibility thanks to a unique modular design that provides a wide variety of port configurations including lockable M12 connectors. Secure connections are essential when operating in a vehicle’s environment where frequent stops, acceleration, and overall shaky conditions persist. The ACO-6000 series also supports up to 16x PoE devices such as smart security cameras that can be integrated for an NVR solution in rolling stock and railway surveillance.



CAN Bus Transportation Protocol

CAN bus is an underlying nervous system of a vehicle that enables Electronic Control Units (ECU) to exchange data between each other with up to 6000 CAN message per second. Each individual ECU controls a vital function of a vehicle which in turn generates valuable engine performance information over the control area network. C&T in-vehicle computers are able to directly tap into this data source for processing and provide real-time analytics for fleet management and IoT applications.


Industrial Reliability & Compact Design For In-Vehicle Deployment

RAID 5 for storage protection

By utilizing RAID 5, we can greatly reduce storage failures by splitting the data into multiple storage devices; so in the event of a single device failure, all the data will still be protected and intact and the system will continue to operate normally.

Fanless design

By eliminating fans as a mechanical point of failure, system reliability is much higher. In order to accommodate a fanless design, the material of the chassis is made of extruded aluminum with heavy-duty metal. This ensures the entire unit is properly cooled with thermal dissipation, which will allow the unit to function reliability in a wide range temperature rating of -40C to 70C.


Cableless Design

One of the most common points of failure is a connection between cables, ranging from defective cable to improper latching between two points. With a cableless design, we can eliminate this possible failure mode. In addition, this will improve serviceability inside the unit as there is no cable clutter present.

Compact size

Since there is limited space in a vehicle or railway, the system must be as compact as possible. The ACO with 16 PoE ports measures only 240 (W) x 261 (D) x 100 (H) mm. This small form factor allows the unit to control up to 16 security cameras in a bus or train application.

Wide Temperature and Anti-Shock Design

The ACO series In-Vehicle Computers are compliant with the United States Military Standard [MIL-STD-810G] for tailoring the equipment’s industrial design to withstand specific environmental conditions for its rugged capabilities. Our ACO series are validated to functionally operate under the various stressors and limits according to the standard which includes Test Methods 501.6, 502.6, 514.7, and 516.7 applied for High and Low Temperature, Vibration, and Shock. These test criteria are tailored to generate the most relevant data available for the specific environmental situations that our in-vehicle computers are likely to encounter during their service life. C&T test engineers validate a wide operating temperature of -40°C to 70°C in addition to a functional shock and vibration rating of 50G and 5Grms respectively. These test conditions are tailored for specific in-vehicle applications and provide assurance that equipment can manage real-world usage with integrity and reliability.


IoT Connectivity Ready

Wifi 5(802.11ac), Bluetooth 4.1, Cellular 4G LTE are supported in ACO in-vehicle computers. These embedded edge computers can take advantage of the cloud to achieve greater productivity and savings. Connecting the unconnected creates a network of computing devices to optimize the functionality of the machines.

When wired or WIFI connection is not accessible. 4G LTE dual-band can be the alternative. The ACO is equipped with Dual Sim Slot to provide a consistent and reliable connection. Cellular companies have different coverage zones and areas where signals are stronger; Dual Sim helps in selecting the optimal signal for a smooth connection. Dual-Sim also acts as a backup in case one of the networks experiences downtime to make sure mission-critical data is delivered or stored.


Successful Deployment Applications For In-Vehicle Computers

C&T’s in-vehicle computers are designed and manufactured with the latest Intel processing technology which features several applications in modern transportation and advanced surveillance. Public transportation services employ in-vehicle computers to gather data that helps improve mobile video surveillance for public safety with intelligent camera systems for object tracking technology that can be linked to multiple data points gathered from IoT sensors. Its compact chassis and PoE capability allow greater flexibility for a custom rugged NVR deployment. Trucking fleet managers can utilize GPS and the signal processing capabilities of in-vehicle computers to monitor engine data in real-time through wireless communication to make informed strategic decisions when planning routes and maintenance repairs. Autonomous vehicles also rely on heavily specialized in-vehicle computers for powerful computation processing used in computer vision technology. These systems feature expansive cameras, sensors, and radar that generate massive amounts of data for in-vehicle computers to make decisions while navigating. Additionally, the ACO series in-vehicle computers offer IoT-supported LTE connectivity that allows mission-critical workforces, such as ambulances and rescue teams, to stay linked with hospital communications. Doing so minimizes life-threatening risks while saving crucial seconds in life or death scenarios.

ACO-3000 Series

  • Ultra-compact in-vehicle fanless computer ideal for space-constrained applications

  • Support Intel® 5th generation Broadwell-U mobile processors

  • Balanced performance and power

  • Built-in ignition on delay control and battery voltage monitoring

  • Support up to 6x LAN, 4x PoE

  • More than 75 model configurations





​ACO-6000 Series

  • Compact in-vehicle fanless computer with high performance

  • Support Intel® 6th/7th generation Sky Lake and Kaby Lake processors

  • High Performance

  • Built-in ignition on delay control and battery voltage monitoring

  • Support up to 18x LAN, 16x PoE

  • More than 30 model configurations





Certifications and Compliances

To make sure that the device is reliable, safe to operate within a compact environment with limited airflow while maintaining optimal performance, the ACO Series are certified with CE, FCC, E-Mark, EMC Conformity, EN50155 & 50121-3-2 Railway Compliance, and more. These rugged computers must comply with multiple criteria including environment, shock, vibration, temperature, power, electric-magnetic field, electric discharge, etc. ACO in-vehicle computers are designed to withstand the toughest environment for 24/7 operation.

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