Cubic has shifted its focus to other “hardware”, like cars, that have their own sets of hurdles when it comes to global connectivity.  As Napier describes it, typically when automakers manufacture connected cars, they have to arrange network agreements with carriers in each country where those cars are rolled out into the market. Each deal comes with its own SIM (similar to phones), and its own associated labor, time and operational cost.

Cubic’s proposal is to solve that with a software-based solution using an eSIM (working with Valid, another strategic investor) that is pre-loaded into the car at the point of manufacture. Then, when the car is sold into one country or another, the car automatically links up to a local network to run its connected car services. That local network link-up is also part of Cubic’s offering: to date, it has mobile voice and data deals with 30 mobile operators covering over 180 countries.