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Vans and the Low Emission Zone: how geofencing could help April/May 2008
Smarter, greener and more interactive - new-generation telematics systems on show
The increasingly important role played by telematics in transport and logistics operations was much in evidence at this year's CV show, as Sharon Clancy discovered Telematics systems seem on the verge of transforming themselves from something whose benefits are sometimes overlooked into something that can be the operator's best friend. Whether the objective is reducing fuel costs, managing drivers' hours more proactively or avoiding congestion, telematics has a lot of the answers. That's the upbeat message conveyed to visitors to last month's CV show in Birmingham. Below we pick out some of the highlights. Going green
Collectively, transport companies and users of their services are among the main contributors to CO2 emissions, so they are inevitably in the firing line when it comes to the environment. It was therefore no surprise that several telematics companies at the CV Show had developed software that helps both types of user to calculate their carbon footprint. HaulTech introduced a carbon footprint calculator for its Traffic Management System software. It takes into consideration a delivery vehicle's route mileage and load allocation, then calculates the amount of CO2 the vehicle will generate during the delivery process. 'We want our users to be more aware of the amount of CO2 their vehicles are generating, which will in turn help them optimise the efficiency of their fleet, and ultimately reduce the company's carbon footprint,' commented Clare Armstrong, HaulTech's sales director. 'We also want to provide them with a competitive advantage that enables them to market their services from a financial and environmental position.' The calculator allows Haultech users and their customers to view the potential environmental impact of their deliveries. At the booking level, for example, customers will be able to view the CO2 emissions of their consignment online, while at the planning level, users will be able to view the CO2 emissions along with performance and financial data of the entire load. MiX Telematics (formerly Omnibridge) has added carbon emission reports to its FM-Web Information Services. MiX points out that customers have begun to position themselves as environmentally-friendly companies that comply with either corporate or industry-imposed environmental regulations and policies. 'Businesses have begun to monitor and disclose their carbon footprints with the aim of reducing their impact on the environment,' says Steve Coffin, sales and marketing director. 'Many of them have realised that to be environmentally-friendly makes financial sense, since reducing carbon emissions means reducing fuel consumption and costs.' The carbon emission reports provide fleet managers with data on fuel consumption and carbon emissions from any driver or vehicle in their fleet. The company says users adopting this solution will have documented records of their compliance with pollution laws and analysis of their reduction in carbon emissions, and should experience a decrease in overall fuel consumption and subsequent costs. RTL Systems offers its CO2 emission calculator as a stand-alone product as well as marketing it as an addition to its Driver and Vehicle Monitoring Performance product. The data captured on fuel consumption can be viewed by vehicle, haulage contract and fleet. 'The emissions report gives operators and managers the proven facts that demonstrate how effective they are being in curbing engine emissions and maximising fuel use,' says director Harry Thompson. Busy CANbus Extracting data from the vehicle CANBus (Controller Area Network) was another hot topic at the CV Show. Rising fuel costs has created a surge of interest in closer, proactive management of vehicle fuel consumption and the driver's role in it. Blue Tree Systems, Cybit, Masternaut, MiX, Mandata, RTL and Sempal were among those announcing CANBus applications. At first glance CANbus data might not seem that much different from other methods of recording vehicle data such as speed, distance and idling. But among the benefits on offer, a single interface gives access to a wealth of data; fitting is simpler because there's no need to connect to a variety of vehicle systems; and the data is accurate. The vehicle manufacturers have offered CANbus data for many years, of course, but third-party telematics suppliers are increasingly incorporating it into their systems. To prevent inadvertent interference with electronically controlled systems on the vehicle, the data is usually extracted via an interface to a Fleet Management System (FMS) data port. Some vehicles come with an FMS port as standard; on others it is an option. FMS has a series of protocols for extracting a host of vehicle data including speed, RPM, Power Take-off (PTO) operation and fuel consumption, the CANbus can also provide information on harsh braking, excessive throttling, coolant level, engine temperature, high coolant temperature, high oil pressure, low oil level, clutch overload, maximum axle weight, brakes applied, clutch engaged, accelerator pedal position, total engine hours, distance, and distance since last service. Dynamic fleet management The CV Show also demonstrated the gathering trend towards greater integration of mobile data and vehicle tracking into back-office transport management and planning systems. One feature is the ability to incorporate more data on drivers into the planning system - a task made easier as more digital tachographs are deployed. Paragon's new version 5 of its routing and scheduling software, for example, incorporates a Resource Manager option that stores and manages data regarding driver shift patterns and vehicle availability - information that can be incorporated into optimisation and planning. In another example of integration, Paragon now offers NavMan Wireless vehicle tracking. 'The new developments are applicable to small fleets of ten and more vehicles based at a single depot, as well as to hundreds of vehicles running out of multiple sites,' says managing director Will Slater. 'Those small fleets want one-stop shopping.' Mandata has added a mapping module to its Manpack 3 to allow operators to calculate whether a load is profitable or not before accepting it. The module incorporates data on rates and routes. Also new is a 'hot key' on the tracking module that instantly displays a vehicle's current location and status. Cybit unveiled its Dynamic Timesheet module for its Fleetstar fleet management system. This graphically represents the working day as it happens. The office screen displays vehicle time spent moving, stopped, stopped at a delivery or job, at base, idling or at unauthorised locations. The user interfaces have been upgraded, and now include a configurable management screen and faster navigation through the menus. Data is now represented in graphical colour-coded formats to provide an at-a-glance operational overview without the need to drill down through detail. The timesheet also displays planned jobs to enable customers to integrate job management, scheduling and planning into Fleetstar to provide planned-versus-actual progress. Qualcomm's Omni Express is designed to monitor busy logistics operations and provide up-to-the-minute customer information, while Masternaut Three X's VisuLive also includes large graphics and visuals including graphs, charts and maps. It can incorporate key performance indicator (KPI) monitoring as well, enabling managers to be proactive to live events. So it can automatically warn of a potentially late delivery. The CV show also saw the unveiling of the latest version of Scania's OnBoard telematics package, which is designed as a live information package, rather than focusing on driver and vehicle telemetry. It incorporates messaging, a vehicle and delivery monitoring system called Order Process Support, and Driver Log to record and monitor driver activity and hours and driving behaviour. The show left no doubt that the truck makers were now targeting operators with telematics services. MAN now fits its Fleet Management system as standard on all new trucks, and Daimler Fleetboard, the telematics arm of Mercedes-Benz, has drawn up a list of ten questions any operator buying a telematics or fleet management system should ask their supplier. As well as obvious ones such as 'Is the system approved by the vehicle manufacturer?', Daimler says buyers should also check whether the hardware is transferable and at what cost; whether adding services later will require additional hardware; whether costs are variable and fixed; and whether the hardware is future-proof. No more texting For operators back at base to be able to view live progress reports on fleet activities, there is often a need for some kind of interaction from the driver, and several new in-cab terminals were on display. These present new driver-friendly applications that are simpler to use, and provide more automatic updates on job progress than simple text-messaging. Minorplanet Systems' latest Fixed Data Terminal, for example, allows two-way communication with drivers via email, Internet/intranet access, satnav and telephone. Delivery requirements can be scheduled and despatched to the in-vehicle terminal, and drivers can use the terminal to provide real-time progress updates back to the control room. To deter thieves, the terminal is fitted behind the dashboard, with only a removable, touch-sensitive screen visible. The terminal can be used either as a stand-alone communicator or in conjunction with Minorplanet's AEM6000 data collection unit. Scania's Onboard system also features a touch-screen in-cab terminal with applications designed to make it easy for drivers to respond to requests for updates on progress. Belgium company Transics is best known for its Quattro in-cab terminals, but is now moving into order management. The latest Quattro comes with applications that help automate job progress at the touch of a button. The driver presses a button to receive an order, which automatically activates navigation to the address. There is also a link to with the digital tachograph. Tracking developments In a new take on the growing demand for mobile data on trailer location, RTL unveiled its Heartbeat device. This is attached to a power source on the trailer (the brake light bulb, for example). When the power source is activated (by pressure on the brake pedal) the box sends an electronic pulse to the RTL tracker unit in the tractor unit, identifying itself via an electronic tag. The system is aimed at fleet operators wanting a low-cost trailer tracking system without the cost and duplication of a stand-alone system. Another new approach to tracking was shown by Tramigo. Its T22 asset tracker is a cigarette-packet sized SMS-based tracking device aimed at small fleet operators who want the benefits of tracking without the ongoing costs of a GPRS connection to the vehicle. The T22 incorporates a GPS receiver and GSM SIM card. The device costs £249, plus a Sim card. To track vehicles with the T22, the managers sends the text message 'find' from the office PC or an authorised mobile. The T22 responds by sending back a text message with the vehicle's latitude, longitude and speed. The device has an in-build gazetteer of 10,000 landmarks. Messages received from the T22 can be sent to a mobile or to the office. Using TrackMeFleet software, data on vehicle, showing speed, location and status is displayed on a map.
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