The Fleet Business Authority
Issue link: http://heavydutytrucking.epubxp.com/i/221397
warning systems are coupled with other activities. "If we see a hard-braking event (from the critical events reporting application) it starts other things," Kahn says. If the vehicle is equipped with an in-cab camera system, such as SmartDrive for instance, a hard-braking event will turn on its cameras. Another trend, Kahn notes, is that "truck sensors are moving almost into the 'always on' environment – they always know what is happening. And in that way, the trucks themselves are becoming part of the smart roadway." get it," he said that "the only way we found to stay current (on road and weather conditions) was to use the whole community." Among the "couple hundred" messages they get from drivers each day, there is often some traffic or weather information that allows them to send out revised navigation instructions. Turek sees the potential of extending local networks to encompass entire transportation systems. He sees less promise in so-called smart infrastructure. "The most expensive thing they can do would be to insert probes into the roadway" to monitor traffic and weather. "The more you can take advantage of the mobile unit inside the vehicle and cloud-based applications," the easier the job will be, he says. "The probes won't be on the roadway but in the vehicles. If you are looking at smart vehicles, you are looking at a network connecting the vehicles through a localized cloud." When onboard systems talk to each other For the most part, however, the systems fleets deploy are closed networks and not the open, data-sharing network the ITS plan envisions. There are perfectly good reasons for that. But even here, cooperation is expanding. Some mobile communications providers, for example, allow 46 HDT • DECEMBER 2013 For the most part, the systems fleets deploy are closed networks and not the open, data-sharing network the ITS plan envisions. other services to piggyback on their network. Adam Kahn, director of fleet services with Omnitracs, says an interesting trend is for several technology vendors to come together and have their systems "converse to serve the fleets in a more dynamic method." As an example, he mentioned a truck OEM's recent introduction of on-board sensors that can identify maintenance issues and then send that data to a nearby dealer location via whatever type of mobile communications system that particular fleet deploys. The information is routed to the fleet's maintenance director, and the nearest service location is identified via geo information from the telematics unit. "We are starting to see a lot of cooperation." Currently, Kahn says, "connected" trucks feature a number of systems communicating with each other. For instance, critical-events reporting applications and lane departure Talking to infrastructure At least one application allowing fleets to bypass weigh and inspection stations uses a fleet's existing mobile communications platform to request and receive bypass authorizations. The traditional service requires a transponder installed on the truck, a receiver mounted some distance from the weigh station to receive the bypass request, and a transmitter a little further on to relay the authorization. The mobile applications, on the other hand, do not require any of those and allow fleets to "leverage the devices they have already purchased," says Brian Heath, president and CEO of Drivewyze. The company's app can be downloaded to iPhone, iPads or Android phones and tablets. Its PreClear subscription service allows fleets to get bypass clearances either through the driver's mobile device or in-cab mobile communications unit or electronic logging device. Omnitrac's Kahn agrees that such services make sense for both the carrier and the enforcement agencies involved. "It's like a frequent traveler who gets a TSA pass," he says. "I can't imagine why a fleet wouldn't find that attractive." And while the reality of a nationwide connected transportation system still lies somewhere in the future, the reality, as Kahn notes, is "a lot of this ■ stuff is happening now." www.truckinginfo.com