The project 'COSIVU' aims at new system architectures for drive-train by developing a smart, compact and durable single-wheel drive unit with integrated electric motor, compact transmission, full SiC power electronics (switches and diodes), a novel control and health monitoring module with wireless communication, and an advanced ultra-compact cooling solution.

The advances over the current state of the art can be summarized as follows:

- 20% higher energy efficiency and thus extended driving range due to dramatic reductions in the vehicle weight (30%) and in the losses in the power module (50%-70%)
- Increased performance, flexibility as well as safety and reliability due to close hardware-in-the-loop control based on integrated sensors, novel analysis algorithms coded into the microcontroller within the smart drive allowing in-situ functional and health monitoring and the bi-directional wireless communication between each drive and a central computer
- Reduced cost-of-ownership for the end-user due to prognostic maintenance advise, factor 2 increase in lifetime and uptime of the smart drive unit, and minimized usage of expensive mechanical parts and cabling.