Telematics
Telematics will be an indispensable element of the future truck, impacting everything about the vehicle and its usage. Truck OEMs that effectively integrate telematics to build solutions for their customers stand to successfully differentiate and redefine their brands. These solutions should focus on the areas that most concern customers: service, safety, driver assistance, regulatory compliance and sustainability.
Service
Telematics will reduce service time by allowing faster remote diagnostics, prognostic capabilities and proactive servicing. There will be an evolution of sorts in terms of their usage and impact. Today’s vehicle diagnostic techniques typically require the technician to physically connect to the vehicle. However, future telematics capabilities will enable remote diagnostics of a vehicle’s condition and remote patching of software, which will reduce time spent in service bays.
Telematics technology also holds the promise of uptime optimization solutions. OEMs will offer performance analyses and uptime maximization procedures as a service to their customers. New business models will emerge, enabling usage-based revenue opportunities – both for ownership as well as service of vehicles.
Safety
Safety has traditionally been addressed through manual methods and training. However, connectivity to the vehicle will greatly enhance safety by allowing for driver navigation assistance and speed control. Examples may include automated speed control linked to the navigation system to slow a truck down as it approaches a blind curve or application of automated braking. Use of these safety-related features will help fleet owners reduce expensive damage to vehicles, as well as potential exposure to litigation from accidents.
Driver assistance, regulatory compliance and sustainability
Solutions relating to driver assistance, regulatory compliance and sustainability are closely linked. Emerging urban regulations are sure to impose increasing amounts of restrictions on zones accessible to trucks. Notification and management of vehicles to assure compliance to these limits will be enabled by telematics.
The goal to optimize time on the road will also benefit from sense-and-respond mechanisms to locate, route and notify customers. Concepts like geo-fencing – remote and dynamic creation of virtual fences to detect and notify customers of a truck’s proximity – will help improve route management and ensure compliance. Efficient navigation, reduction in idle time, use of alternative propulsion mechanisms and methods to achieve optimum speeds all contribute to increased sustainability.