The Internet of Things (IoT) has been a game-changer in countless industries, and one area where its impact has been particularly profound is in telematics. Telematics, the integration of telecommunications and informatics, is the technology behind vehicle tracking, monitoring, and management. With the infusion of IoT, telematics has undergone a remarkable transformation, providing enhanced capabilities and ushering in a new era of connected transportation and beyond.

Telematics: A Brief Overview

Telematics has been a critical component in industries such as fleet management, logistics, and automotive. It involves the use of sensors, GPS technology, and telecommunications to monitor and collect data about vehicles, their locations, driver behavior, and engine performance. Telematics systems use this data to offer valuable insights into vehicle operations, which can improve safety, efficiency, and reduce costs.

Traditionally, telematics systems were based on proprietary hardware and software, often limiting their scalability and adaptability. However, the incorporation of IoT has disrupted this landscape, offering a wide array of new possibilities.

The Role of IoT in Telematics

IoT is the natural evolution of telematics, bringing connectivity, scalability, and intelligence to vehicle tracking and management. By incorporating a wide range of IoT devices and connectivity options, telematics applications have become more versatile and valuable. Here are some key ways in which IoT is transforming telematics:

1. Real-time Data

IoT-enabled telematics systems provide real-time data on vehicle location, speed, and status. This information is critical for monitoring fleets, responding to emergencies, and improving operational efficiency.

2. Remote Diagnostics

IoT sensors can continuously monitor a vehicle’s health and performance. When anomalies are detected, such as engine issues or low tire pressure, the system can alert the driver or fleet manager in real-time. This early diagnosis prevents breakdowns, reduces maintenance costs, and keeps vehicles on the road.

3. Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is one of the significant advantages of IoT-enabled telematics. By analyzing data from various sensors and the vehicle’s performance history, the system can predict when maintenance is needed. This ensures that maintenance is performed exactly when it’s required, reducing downtime and saving costs.

4. Driver Behavior Monitoring

IoT-powered telematics can monitor driver behavior, promoting safer driving practices. The system can track speed, acceleration, braking, and other behaviors, providing data that can be used for training and safety improvement. This not only reduces accidents but also lowers insurance premiums.

5. Fuel Efficiency

IoT telematics systems can monitor fuel consumption and provide insights into improving fuel efficiency. This is crucial for fleet management, as even a small increase in fuel efficiency can result in substantial cost savings.

6. Route Optimization

By analyzing traffic and road conditions in real-time, telematics systems can optimize routes for vehicles. This reduces travel time, lowers fuel consumption, and improves delivery times.

7. Asset Tracking

IoT telematics goes beyond just vehicles. It can also track valuable assets and cargo, ensuring their safety and security during transport.

8. Compliance and Reporting

Telematics systems are essential for compliance with regulatory requirements. IoT technology simplifies reporting and record-keeping, helping businesses meet their obligations more efficiently.

Telematics in Various Industries

The applications of IoT-powered telematics extend beyond the traditional fleet management and automotive sectors. Here’s how it is making a difference in various industries:

1. Logistics and Transportation

The logistics industry has been one of the primary beneficiaries of IoT-enabled telematics. Real-time tracking and data analysis help logistics companies streamline their operations, optimize routes, and enhance customer service.

2. Construction and Heavy Equipment

IoT telematics is being used to monitor the health and usage of construction equipment. This ensures that machines are maintained promptly, reducing downtime and improving productivity.

3. Agriculture

IoT telematics solutions are used in agriculture for tracking farm equipment, monitoring soil conditions, and optimizing crop management. This data-driven approach improves crop yields and resource utilization.

4. Healthcare

In healthcare, IoT-enabled telematics is used for patient transportation and the delivery of medical supplies. It ensures timely and secure transportation, which is crucial in healthcare settings.

5. Public Transportation

Public transportation systems use IoT telematics to improve the efficiency of bus and train services. Real-time tracking allows passengers to plan their journeys more effectively.

Challenges and Considerations

While the integration of IoT into telematics brings numerous benefits, it also presents challenges and considerations:

1. Data Security

IoT telematics systems collect vast amounts of data, including sensitive information about vehicle locations and driver behavior. Protecting this data from cyber threats and unauthorized access is of paramount importance.

2. Standardization

IoT telematics solutions must adhere to common standards and protocols to ensure interoperability and compatibility across devices and systems.

3. Privacy

Users and drivers should have control over their data. Transparency in data usage and privacy policies is crucial.

4. Cost

While the long-term benefits of IoT telematics are significant, the initial cost of implementing the technology can be a barrier for some businesses, particularly small ones.

The Future of IoT in Telematics

As technology continues to evolve, the future of IoT in telematics looks promising. Here are some trends and developments to watch for:

1. Enhanced Connectivity

The rollout of 5G networks will provide faster and more reliable connectivity for IoT devices, enabling even more real-time data transmission and analysis.

2. Autonomous Vehicles

IoT-enabled telematics is a critical component in the development of autonomous vehicles. These vehicles rely on a multitude of sensors and data streams for navigation and decision-making.

3. Smart Cities Integration

IoT telematics will become an integral part of smart city initiatives, improving traffic management, reducing congestion, and enhancing urban transportation.

4. Advanced Analytics

The future of IoT in telematics will feature more advanced analytics, including machine learning and AI, to gain deeper insights and make predictive recommendations.

Conclusion

IoT has revolutionized the telematics industry, transforming the way vehicles are tracked, managed, and maintained. The integration of IoT into telematics systems provides real-time data, predictive maintenance, and insights into driver behavior, among many other benefits.

As the technology continues to advance, IoT in telematics will play a crucial role in making transportation safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. Challenges related to data security, standardization, and privacy must be addressed to ensure that the benefits of IoT telematics are fully realized. In the coming years, IoT-powered telematics will continue to drive innovation in transportation and numerous other industries, making our world more connected and efficient.

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Company secures position as largest commercial telematics provider in the world.

Geotab, a global leader in IoT and connected transportation, today announced it has surpassed 2 million subscribers, securing its position as the world’s largest commercial telematics company.

Launching its software as a service solution in 2006, the company has experienced an average annual subscriber growth rate of 40 percent over the past five years, with a 100 percent increase since Q1 2018. Geotab has since become the platform of choice for businesses both large and small as well as public, private and government fleets of all sizes across the globe by focusing on a unique open platform approach that has attracted a world class partner ecosystem and integrated solutions within the Geotab Marketplace.

“In February 2018, we announced that Geotab had achieved its goal of becoming the first telematics company to achieve 1 million connected vehicles built on a single, open platform. In less than two years, we have doubled that number and set a new, unprecedented milestone,” said Geotab CEO Neil Cawse. “As our vehicle subscription base continues to expand around the world, we have showcased that by adhering to our founding adage of ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure,’ our customers and the community at large are able to benefit from improved fleet management and data-driven insights to help tackle challenges around traffic safety, city planning, climate change and more.”

Geotab’s road to 2 million subscribers at a glance:

• Geotab GO devices are used in over 130 countries.
• Geotab’s ecosystem captures nearly 3 million charging events a year from electric vehicles (which is growing rapidly).
• Geotab customers drive an average of 585 million miles per week (that’s equal to 6.3 trips to the sun).
• If all the vehicles in the Geotab database were lined up end-to-end (10,500mi), they would stretch from Toronto to Rio de Janeiro and back.
• More than 40 billion data points are collected each day from Geotab-connected vehicles around the world.

Susan Beardslee, Principal Analyst at ABI Research commended the company on this unprecedented achievement: “ABI Research finds that as of January 2020, Geotab – with more than two million commercial telematics subscribers across the globe – is officially the world’s largest commercial telematics company.”

As a proven leader in IoT and connected transportation, Geotab provides actionable insights to businesses of all sizes in order to help better manage fleets and make data-driven decisions. Geotab’s key industry differentiator is its open platform solution, which promotes a network of cooperation, enabling businesses to integrate Geotab data into any system regardless of business size or operational needs.

“The ‘Connected Car’ revolution is still in its early stages and represents a huge opportunity for the entire ecosystem. Beginning this next decade with such success calls for celebration,” Cawse added.

“Thanks to the hard work of our growing network of employees, partners and customers across the globe—whose passion for innovation and focus on sustainability, scalability, reliability and security has enabled us to effectively support over 40,000 businesses and more than 2 million vehicles around the world. We look forward to seeing what the road to 3 million has in store.”

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According to a new report by Allied Market Research entitled, “Global Commercial Telematics Market”, the global commercial telematics market is expected to reach $49.12 billion by 2020, at an estimated CAGR of 18.4 % during the forecast period (2014-2020).

Telematics are information and telecommunication products that combine computers and telecommunication services for transferring large amounts of data in vehicles in real-time. Commercial telematics market includes the telematics used by light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles. All major automotive manufacturers across the globe are now concentrating on developing and implementing the Telematics concept into their vehicles. Vehicles manufactured today offer unique connectivity solutions for better monitoring and tracking.

Aftermarket, a segment categorized on the basis of type of telematics, is expected to grow swiftly and remain the largest revenue generator, contributing to over 50% of the total market revenue throughout the forecast period (2014-2020). In addition, fleet/asset management as an application segment, is the highest revenue-generating solution, contributing about 50% of the total commercial telematics solutions market revenue. In certain economies like Brazil and China, the government legislations mandate the adoption of telematics given the rising concern of vehicle tracking and safety and security, thereby driving the demand for telematics solutions.

Telematics industry has grown from traditional navigation services to broadened scope in vehicle tracking, monitoring, fleet management, location-based services and traffic and weather information. The report segments the market by type viz., automotive OEM and aftermarket. Among these, the automotive OEM is expected to grow at a higher rate given the technological alliance between telematics service providers and device manufacturers due to its varied application in many verticals including healthcare, media and entertainment, insurance and logistics. Transportation and logistics segment is observed to have the largest share in the total market size by revenue in 2013 and will remain the largest revenue-generating end user segment given the need for vehicle diagnostics and vehicle tracking etc. The technology is also witnessing increased adoption from sectors such as insurance and healthcare.

Key findings of the study:

• The growth of the global commercial telematics market would be supplemented by the increased adoption across key sectors such as Logistics and transportation, Insurance, Media and Entertainment and Healthcare during the forecast period (2014-2020)
• The need for vehicle tracing, safety and security, government regulations would continue to positively drive the global commercial telematics market over the analysis period (2014-2020)
• Fleet/Asset management solution is one of the most prominent solutions present in the market. It led the market with a share of almost 50% of the global telematics market, followed by Insurance telematics solution and expected to remain dominant in our analysed period.
• Asia-Pacific as well as LAMEA is forecast to be one of the most lucrative markets, in terms of growth given the supportive government regulations and the growing automotive market

The report also outlines the competitive environment of the commercial telematics market, providing a comprehensive comparative study of the key organic and inorganic strategies that the market leaders are adopting to achieve an edge over their competitors. In addition to the product launches, the companies are adopting alliance and partnership as key strategy to gain a higher market share. Companies such as AT&T, Harman and TomTom have collaborated with different industry experts to gain access to the market and technologies. Prominent companies profiled in the report include Verizon, Harman, TomTom, AT&T, Vodafone, Ford Motors, BMW, Telefonica, Mix Telematics and Trimble Navigation Ltd.

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Tele2 AB (Tele2), today announces that it has won the connectivity business of 1-Fleet Alliance, a grouping of seventeen different telematics service providers from across Europe.

Tele2 won the deal over nine other companies competing for the Europe-wide business.

Over the course of the three-year contract, Tele2 expects to deliver more than 150,000 SIM cards to enable the 1-Fleet Alliance member companies to deliver on their core business of providing telematics solutions.

1-Fleet Alliance is a European-wide network of telematics and fleet management service providers. 1-Fleet Alliance has a combined total of more than 24,000 customers with in excess of 403,000 tracking units currently in operation.

Rami Avidan, Managing Director, Tele2 IoT, comments:
“This win is a recognition of the strength of Tele2’s technology offering and flexible business model that can adapt to the needs of our partners across a range of different services. Tele2 has built a strong reputation with a number of telematics service providers over the years, including members of 1-Fleet Alliance, which has given us a deep understanding of the needs of the sector as a whole. This win was generated through the partnership with Sisteer that we announced earlier, and it shows that our cooperation really generates true value, for both our customers, partners and Tele2”.

Tiago Borges, Co-Founder and CEO, Inosat Global on behalf of 1-Fleet Alliance comments:

“Tele2’s flexible approach and its management platform combined with its attractive pricing and experience in working with a number of 1-Fleet Alliance members were amongst the key reasons for selecting Tele2. On top of that, Tele2 IoT provided outstanding customer support during the trial and testing phase.”

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According to the latest research study released by Technavio, the global commercial telematics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 27% from 2015-2020.

“Sophisticated telematics tracking systems are helping manage availability, access, and use of vehicles for the emerging vehicle rental model market. This system uses telematics units to provide all necessary captured data and operational control, which includes activating and accessing remote vehicles using Radio-frequency identification (RFID) or a smartphone app to capture journey data for proper billing,” said Faizan Akthar, one of Technavio’s lead analysts for ICT research.

Faizan added:

“Over the next four years, the market is predicted to witness a growing adoption of driver ID technologies that would allow organizations to authenticate drivers based on approval lists and member subscriptions. Such advanced telematics solutions will help obtain driver behavior feedback in real-time through an in-vehicle device or a smartphone app. These trends are predicted to positively impact market growth over the next four years.”

Global commercial telematics market by end-user 2015 (USD billions)

Top three segments of the global commercial telematics market:

• Logistics and transportation
• Insurance
• Healthcare

Logistics and transportation: largest segment of the commercial telematics market

Telematics is widely adopted in the logistics and transportation sector to improve customer safety and security, eliminate idling, and optimize routing. This technology maximizes the efficiency of dispatching jobs as it enables monitoring logistical movement and the number of parts on service vehicles.

In addition, telematics systems, through its feedback mechanisms, helps improve driver behavior significantly and helps avoid accidents. Telematics also reduces fuel consumption and maintenance costs, while improving customer services and asset utilization.

Insurance: second largest segment of the global commercial telematics market

As M2M telematics applications help reduce vehicle crashes, its implementation reduces insurance premiums. Insurance premiums are calculated based on driver behavior information, which can be easily obtained through M2M devices integrated into vehicles.

Over the forecast period, many insurance companies are expected to rely extensively on digital technologies to prevent false claims and offer different products and services. As per this market forecast, insurance telematics solution providers are expected to foray into improved risk management, competitive pricing of insurance products, and increased competitiveness due to more targeted offerings thanks to advanced telematics.

Global commercial telematics market by the healthcare segment

The adoption of telematics solutions in the healthcare industry is also stipulated to increase significantly during the forecast period. M2M remote patient monitoring solutions include tracking-type systems in managed care facilities, or for Alzheimer patients, and prescription compliance use-cases that are designed to monitor and maintain patient prescription use efficiently. Healthcare telematics infrastructure connects IT systems of doctors, pharmacies, hospitals, and health insurers to protect and monitor critical data and its popularity is expected to further expand the market for commercial telematics during the forecast period.

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ABI Research Anticipates Converged Devices Category to Reach More Than 5 Million Shipments Globally by 2020.

According to research findings by ABI Research, the leader in transformative technology innovation market intelligence, converged devices, such as tablets, are driving the market with global shipments forecast to reach more than 5 million units by 2020. Moreover, the introduction of converged devices creates the opportunity for the emergence of new business opportunities in the application space.

“The adoption of converged devices opens the door for entire application ecosystems and the emergence of dedicated commercial telematics application marketplaces,” says Dominique Bonte, Managing Director and Vice President at ABI Research.

“Key advantages of utilizing converged devices, such as tablets in commercial vehicles, include the ability to employ automated vehicle inspection in rental car fleets, signature capture for delivery fleets, as well as aggregating crowdsourced data and generating community feedback.”

Leading telematics service providers (TSPs) actively exploit the opportunity to cumulate crowdsourced data as a means to provide drivers with updated information on rest stops, traffic jams, road works, and other critical driving information. But the information exchange is no longer limited to solely smartphones and tablets. In fact, wearables are now offering consumer vehicle OEMs the opportunity to combine biometric and diagnostic data onto the same form factor. Typical vehicle data that could be made available on smart watches includes fuel consumption and level, driving behavior scores, and transport metrics.

“Apple recently partnered with Telogis to bring telematics applications for gamification and allow drivers to compare their driving performance, truck-specific navigation, and compliance to its iOS platform,” continues Bonte. “This illustrates the growing importance of converged devices for improving safety and productivity, a realization of which the mobile industry is becoming well aware.”

Yet, there are downsides to consider when utilizing converged devices in commercial vehicles. The drawbacks include potential safety hazards caused by driver distraction and increased exposure to cyber threats. As such, plug-and-play On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) dongles are gaining momentum. It is currently the most affordable solution to offer basic features, such as tracking, diagnostics, and driver behavior monitoring.

Canada-based fleet management and asset tracking vendor, Geotab, is a leader in the OBD-based hardware space and remains heavily focused on on-board diagnostics to offer plug-and-play solutions to small and medium fleets. Additionally, Novatel Wireless recently acquired telematics vendor DigiCore with the goal of creating a vertically integrated technology company covering modules, hardware, and professional services targeting fleet management, usage-based insurance, and asset tracking and monitoring markets. The two companies had already been successfully partnering on OBD technology before the official acquisition.

“While OBD-based hardware is both a flexible and low-cost solution, the window of opportunity is limited and integration between the hardware and software providers is still a necessary component,” concludes Bonte. “Converged devices are a great way to bring telematics to commercial vehicles in a more scalable and seamless manner.”

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Collaboration reduces operational costs and improves data visibility for Isotrak’s international customers.

Today’s telematics and fleet management customers are looking to lower data costs and improve operational efficiencies through the use of data analytics. In answering these needs, Aeris, a pioneer and leader in the Internet of Things market, today announced its partnership with Isotrak Ltd., a global leader in fleet management software and fleet telematics systems, to provide improved cellular connectivity and data analytics for Isotrak’s global customers.

By leveraging Aeris’ machine-optimized and patented AerCore IoT and M2M network, AerPort connectivity platform and AerVoyance IoT and M2M analytics platform, Isotrak has added advanced capabilities to its recently announced 3iS FleetVision solution, a part of its real-time ATMSi (Active Transport Management System) fleet management system. Isotrak can now provide a unique solution for its customers using business intelligence data to provide retailers and manufacturers with a total vision of their transportation ecosystem – including their own fleets as well as those of third-party suppliers.

The collaboration between Aeris and Isotrak will provide customers with a reliable mobile network optimized to meet the demands that IoT / M2M solutions for fleet management creates, while providing actionable visibility and measurement into the performance of vehicles and drivers through data analytics. Isotrak’s integrated supply-chain solutions depend on accessing near real-time data with robust alerting and reporting capabilities, which Aeris is able to deliver through its carrier-agnostic network.

“Our fleet management system provides data for a total vision of a fleet manager’s transportation ecosystem. We wanted to ensure reliable connectivity services and data insights no matter where our customers are located,” said Jason Price, sales and marketing director with Isotrak.

“By leveraging Aeris’ expertise in IoT network solutions, we are able to quickly provide a robust, global solution that goes well beyond improved connectivity and competitive rate plans to offer customers real-time, useful information at their fingertips to help improve their cost structure.”

Aeris’ global support of major cellular technology standards, such as GSM, CDMA, and LTE, enables partners like Isotrak to offer customers flexibility and the potential for growth throughout the globe.

“The inherent security built into the Aeris system gives companies like Isotrak peace of mind, and the speed of onboarding, even with a private virtual network, provides a competitive advantage,” says Mohsen Mohseninia, vice president for international market development at Aeris. “We can deliver technology that can be quickly deployed and will show immediate value while also helping to reduce the time to market for new products and services.”

For more information on how Aeris delivers customized IoT and M2M solutions to provide systems savings, improved efficiencies, flexibility and increased reliability for fleet telematics, visit: http://www.aeris.com/fleet-telematics/

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Acquisition Further Strengthens Telular’s Robust Commercial Telematics Platform.

Telular Corporation, a global technology leader and provider of IoT (Internet of Things) solutions for commercial telematics, security, and bulk storage management, today announced that it has acquired SMARTLogix, a leading provider of petroleum management, inventory and transportation logistics solutions.

SMARTLogix, headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, has been a long time partner of Telular and an exclusive provider of Telular’s tank monitoring solutions to the petroleum distribution industry. As a result of the acquisition, SMARTLogix is now part of Telular’s SkyBitz division, the leader in remote asset tracking and Telular’s flagship brand for its growing commercial telematics service offering. Telular is a portfolio company of Avista Capital Partners.

“We are excited to add SMARTLogix to Telular’s SkyBitz portfolio and to offer a powerful platform for petroleum distributors to better manage their fleets and drive significant cost savings across their entire operation,” said Doug Milner, CEO, Telular Corporation. “SMARTLogix’ SMARTruck and SMARTank fleet applications are ideal additions to SkyBitz’ growing suite of solutions that offer our customers significant ROI benefits along with new and unique insights into their operations.”

Brendan Scollans, Partner of Avista Capital Partners, said:

“It is no coincidence that the acquisition of SMARTLogix comes on the heels of the successful acquisitions of GPS North America and Reltima, two leading commercial telematics companies in the local fleet management market. Through these strategic acquisitions, Telular is now poised to be a leader in commercial telematics.”

“SMARTLogix and SkyBitz are highly complementary and Avista looks forward to supporting further expansion of the telematics portfolio.”

SMARTLogix transportation logistics software offers petroleum distributors a feature-rich, real-time solution for processing orders, managing dispatch functions, digitally capturing delivery information, and real-time truck, driver, and product GPS tracking. SMARTLogix’s primary market is the petroleum logistics business in North America and Canada. Customers are distributors of petroleum products (bulk fuels, lubes, and used oil) as well as commercial and transportation fuel end users.

“We are thrilled to join Telular and to become part of the SkyBitz business. Both companies place heavy emphasis on continuous innovation and products and services that can deliver huge operating benefits to our customers. Our combined strengths and technical resources will allow us to accelerate new applications and solutions into the market,” said Rick Martin, founder and CEO of SMARTLogix.

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RAC to launch Novatel Wireless Advanced Telematics Platform for Commercial and Consumer Telematics Services.

Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVTL), a leading provider of intelligent wireless solutions, and RAC Motoring Services, one of the UK’s most progressive motoring organizations, today announce that they have signed a long term Supply and License Agreement. Under the agreement, Novatel Wireless will supply the RAC with its newly announced MT 3060 device, customized for the RAC Advance solution. Novatel Wireless will also license to the RAC its N4A Device Manager software, and will host the management of the RAC devices. RAC’s version of MT 3060 and the N4A Device Manager will be part of the RAC Advance branded solution, which will incorporate leading edge vehicle telematics and advanced crash detection technology in a range of solutions for fleet, insurance and breakdown applications.

With over seven million customers the RAC is dedicated to providing a one-stop-shop for motorists’ needs — providing roadside assistance, insurance, vehicle inspections and checks, legal services and up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information.

Kerry Michael, RAC Commercial Director, says:

“The RAC is committed to providing the very highest levels of service to our customers. We will target our members, insurance clients and corporate fleet customers with this new service including advanced crash detection, remote vehicle diagnostics, fuel saving, driver scoring, and fleet management.”

“The RAC chose Novatel Wireless for its innovative products, its expertise in M2M telematics, and its ability to meet our expectations for superior quality and performance.”

“The launch of RAC Advance follows months of ongoing cooperation between the two companies,” says Peter Leparulo, CEO of Novatel Wireless.

“We are excited about our close partnership with the RAC, and proud be part of their revolutionary approach to telematics and roadside assistance services.”

The MT 3060 platform is an integrated, system-level technology solution for commercial and consumer telematics markets. The device simply inserts into the OBDII port of a vehicle, and collects and controls critical vehicle data, and securely delivers that information to the cloud. It boasts a highly sensitive 3-axis accelerometer and parallel GPS/GNSS satellite location capability, and offers the most sophisticated and sensitive crash detection.

As part of RAC Advance, RAC’s MT 3060 device is designed for full compatibility with Novatel Wireless’ N4A Device Manager, a robust M2M software platform which accelerates customer application integration, configures, manages, and supports Novatel Wireless’ M2M devices.

RAC Advance will allow the RAC member’s vehicle to remotely communicate with base to provide diagnostic information that could potentially identify certain vehicle faults before they result in a stressful or inconvenient breakdown. In addition, RAC members will be able to check multiple levels of performance and key information via an application on their smartphone or tablet. In the event of a breakdown, RAC Advance will allow the response team to remotely connect with the onboard diagnostics software helping identify the fault and accurately position the motorist’s location, enabling the rescue service to quickly and effectively dispatch a patrol.

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The Most Advanced Mobile Tracking Device for Automotive, Fleet Management, and Other Commercial and Consumer Telematics Applications | Samples of the First Products in the MT 3060 Platform Family Available Now.

Novatel Wireless, Inc., today announces the industry’s most advanced portfolio of OBD-II plug-and-play platforms for the Commercial Telematics and Consumer Telematics Markets.

The new MT 3060 is an integrated, system-level solution that collects and controls critical vehicle data, and can reliably deliver that information to the cloud, all managed by Novatel Wireless’ Services Enablement Platform that includes the N4A Communications and Management Software (CMS) and N4A Device Manager.

Peter Leparulo, CEO of Novatel Wireless, said:

“The MT 3060 platform supports a family of intelligent OBD-II solutions that addresses the strategic focus of our M2M Asset Management Solutions Group on commercial telematics and consumer telematics.”

“In commercial telematics, we continue to see strong activity with fleet management companies worldwide. Our MT 3060 platform family also represents a significant advance in the expanding market of consumer telematics, including usage based insurance, and we’re experiencing great customer feedback on the platform already. As we rollout our portfolio of integrated solutions with software and service content, it’s truly amazing the amount of technology packed in this family of solutions for these vertical markets.”

Simplicity. The MT 3060 platform is a family of plug-and-play, self-installed devices that can be deployed in minutes by any driver. The MT 3060 simply inserts into the OBD-II port of a vehicle, without taking a vehicle out of service. The family of MT 3060 products avoids costly and timely professional installations, and allows for scalable application platforms, provisioning and customer service models in the commercial telematics and consumer telematics markets. It also supports all five vehicle engine OBD-II protocols. So no matter the application – fleet management, usage-based insurance, or driver behavior management – or the region of the world, the MT 3060 is the ideal option for customers charged with lowering upfront telematics costs while improving safety and productivity.

Most Advanced Features and Customer Support Capabilities. The MT 3060 boasts a highly sensitive 1000 Hz sampling 3-axis accelerometer and GPS along with advanced technology for accurate impact detection – enabling it to detect driver behaviors such as vehicle speed, location, hard braking, cornering and acceleration. The MT 3060 further optimizes network connectivity performance by a high efficiency innovative antenna design and disconnect alert feature using an on-board backup battery.

The family of MT 3060 products leverages Novatel Wireless’ years of combined resources of in-house development of advanced cellular technologies with M2M experience. For the highest customer service, Novatel Wireless controls all touch-points of the MT 3060 solution, from embedded module hardware development, firmware and software ownership, multi-band antenna design, and GPS and Bluetooth development and integration.

Self Contained Access to Cloud Applications. The MT 3060 family provides the most flexible means of collecting critical vehicle information and connecting it to end-user applications for a variety of business critical needs. The built-in, programmable rules engine monitors external conditions and captures customer-defined threshold events critical to effective commercial and consumer telematics applications, such as excessive engine speed, rapid acceleration, harsh braking, speed violations, and excessive idling. It also responds instantaneously to pre-defined conditions related to location, ignition, geo-fencing, trip reporting, and other events.

Over-the-Air Device Management and Serviceability. The MT 3060 device is designed for full compatibility with Novatel Wireless’ N4A Communications and Management Software (CMS) and N4A Device Manager, which accelerate customer application integration to provide device provisioning, deployment, shipping, monitoring, and tracking worldwide.

MT Monitor Mobile Application. The MT 3060 is complemented by Novatel Wireless’ new MT Monitor mobile application. This mobile application is designed to simplify the out-of-the-box experience for MT 3060 and provides an easy way to install and monitor the device. Effective troubleshooting of any identified issues is enabled via the MT Monitor’s intuitive user interface. Powered by N4A CMS and Device Manager, the MT Monitor is designed to be used by both professional installers of the device and end users across applications such as fleet management and user based insurance (UBI). The mobile application will be available for both Android and iOS based smartphones and tablets.

The new MT 3060 platform is designed to support multiple air interfaces, and will be available in GSM/GPRS, CDMA or HSDPA versions with additional features and functionality targeted towards application service providers, system integrators, enterprises and insurers in the global Commercial and Consumer Telematics Markets. The MT 3060 platform will also include optional features like Bluetooth connectivity to enable low power sensor management, personal area networking with smartphone applications and to enable emergency hands free calling.

Commercial Telematics is after-market or factory-installed telematics for non-consumer telematics applications, such as fleet management, trailer tracking (providing sensor data for temperature, humidity, vibration, contents information) and other asset tracking. According to ABI Research “Global Fleet Management System Hardware Shipments” are expected to experience a CAGR of 22.9% during 2013 – 2018.

Consumer Telematics involves devices installed by the consumer or non-automaker third party for context applications, such as UBI, pay as you drive insurance, and vehicle recovery. According to ABI Research, the world market of “Global Insurance Telematics Shipments” are projected to have a CAGR of 117% from 2013 – 2018.

Samples of the first device in the MT 3060 family are now available for commercial and consumer telematics programs.

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