Mercury Marine has teamed with Fell Marine, a Norwegian and U.S.-based marine wireless technology company, to co-develop Mercury-exclusive wireless and IOT connected products that will integrate with Mercury’s SmartCraft suite of digital technology.
“The cornerstone of Fell’s technology is our proprietary WiMEA wireless protocol that provides an extremely reliable, secure and robust connection for critical data, while at the same time providing for connectivity with Bluetooth-enabled apps and devices so boaters can easily communicate with their vessel,” said Christian Frost, CEO of Fell Marine, in a statement.
Working prototypes of conceptual co-developed products were demonstrated on the water at the Miami International Boat Show and in the company’s main display in the engine tent.
The critical component in the partnership is Fell Marin’s WiMea system. The wireless protocol data system is tailored for the marine environment and is built around low-power wireless and loT technology with wireless algorithms. WiMEA offers encryption security and incorporates advanced support for integration with other CANBus standards like SmartCraft and NMEA2000.
“Boaters today expect their vessels to offer the same level of connectivity and performance that they see on their cars,” said Mercury Marine vice president of global category management. “The partnership with Fell will accelerate our product plans and provide us with the wireless technology that is designed specifically for the demanding marine environment.”
