IRNAPRIL-MAY 2015
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ASSETTRACKINGANDTELEMATICS
to bring the products of the future to market. “The
market is definitely changing from push to pull.
Integration wasn’t even a discussion three years
ago, but it is a huge subject just now, because
people historically bought technology in silos and
operated amanual system to link it all up.
“And because we can integrate, we can make the
tachograph work for the customer. It was only ever
there to aid enforcement, and it never did anything
for the customer at all. Now we can help make the
customers’ lives better.”
Automotive
In another branch of the automotive industry,
Neil Cawse, chief executive officer of Geotab, said:
“Everyone loves the new car smell, but new vehicles
meanmore data for telematics solutions providers.
Every year manufacturers release newmodels with
changed or new engine codes that communicate
vehicle data. This vehicle data, or CAN-BUS data,
allowsmicrocontrollersanddevices tocommunicate
with each other. Telematics solution providers will
need to normalise the CAN-BUS data in order to
communicate effectively with the growing number
of potential vehicles in a fleet.
“As GSM 2G wireless networks face extinction
and 4G becomes the network of choice for wireless
operations, telematics solution providers will need
to work closely with operators to ensure their
solutionsmake the switch smoothly.
“A transition to stronger, faster wireless 4G
networks means fleet managers will receive their
data inmoreareas, havea future-proof solutionand
ultimately lower their costs.”
Back in more classic rental territory, Doosan has
launched the CoreTMS wireless fleet and asset
management system for its excavator, wheel
loader and articulated dump truck (ADT) ranges.
Offering a web-based solution that monitors
the performance and security of machines and
promotes preventative maintenance, it is available
on all new generation Doosan products including
Stage IV compliant excavators above 14 tonnes and
can also be retrofitted. With the new service, users
can monitor and communicate with the company’s
machines through theCore TMS telematicswebsite.
For rental and construction companies and
manufacturing industry, Trackunit is among the
leading providers of fleet management solutions,
operating more than 100,000 units worldwide. It
has just introduced the Trackunit DualID telematics
solution featuringa separateandcompact ID reader.
DualID is a refinement of the Trackunit SmartID,
which has become very popular by incorporating
user identificationandGPSbased fleetmanagement
in a singleunit.
“Development of the new solution was initiated
following customer requests,” said sales director
JoergenRaguse.
been fully integrated following submission to the
International Organization for Standardization.
So what are a typical customer’s requirements of
a telematics system now? Giles Margerison, sales
director UK and Ireland of Tom Tom Telematics,
which deals with commercial vehicle and rental
fleets ranging fromone vehicle to several thousand,
has identified six key areas.
Requirements
These are to improve efficiency; reduce cost;
comply with legislation; mitigate and reduce risk;
improvegeneral customer service; anddemonstrate
corporate social responsibility.
Mr Margerison said the significance of each
area varies from company to company, but his
own company’s technology is present in all six.
This includes an internet-based platform called
Webfleet that reports thepositionof a vehicle every
10 seconds from a “black box” fitted behind the
dashboard andhardwired to the vehicle.
Elsewhere, the company’s OBD2 on-board
diagnostic tool gives real time information relating
to items such as fuel consumption, engine revs,
idling andCO
2
emissions.
A further option is a driver terminal that can
updatework flows, jobstatusandestimated timesof
arrival and communicate this to the customer. It can
alsogive feedbackdirect to thedriverof thevehicle.
“It’s all about thedriver,” saidMrMargerison.
“A large element of the total cost of ownership is
vehicles, sowe help the customermake the driver’s
life as easy as possible while also influencing their
behaviour.”
Mr Margerison admits that the pace of change in
the industry is such that Tom Tom Telematics can’t
do everything on its own. However, its website lists
nearly 350 partner organisations it is working with
Neil Cawse of Geotab
Andreas Hellström of Infor
