Berg Insight estimates that the global installed base of active off-highway vehicle telematics systems reached 7.9 million units in 2022.

This includes connected units deployed on various off-highway vehicles across the construction, mining, agriculture and forestry sectors. The construction sector accounts for the largest share, driven by OEM telematics systems offered by heavy equipment manufacturers. Agriculture and mining moreover each account for a similar number of connected units deployed on machines and vehicles used in agricultural and mining operations respectively. The remainder is represented by the forestry sector including telematics systems fitted to various forestry equipment. Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1 percent, the active installed base of off-highway vehicle telematics systems across all sectors is forecasted to reach 14.6 million units worldwide in 2027.

“The top-10 equipment manufacturers offering telematics together account for around 70 percent of the total number of off-highway vehicle telematics systems in use across the construction, mining, agriculture and forestry sectors globally”, said Rickard Andersson, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight. Berg Insight ranks Caterpillar as the leading off-highway vehicle telematics provider.

“Far from surprising, the leading equipment manufacturer by market share is also by far the top player when it comes to the number of off-highway vehicle telematics subscribers”, said Mr. Andersson.

He adds that this is a natural development in an industry where telematics has increasingly been included as standard with the machine purchase, gradually covering more models and equipment categories.

“Caterpillar was the first to surpass the milestone of 1 million connected assets across all segments and the company now has more than 1.4 million units”, said Mr. Andersson.

The runners-up are SANY and Komatsu. Other major manufacturers with estimated installed bases of more than 100,000 units include Volvo Construction Equipment, Deere & Company, XCMG, Hitachi Construction Machinery, JCB, HD Hyundai and Doosan Bobcat.

“Additional players having estimated installed bases of off-highway vehicle telematics units in the tens of thousands include CNH Industrial, Liebherr, Terex, JLG Industries, AGCO, CLAAS Group and Tadano”, concluded Mr. Andersson.

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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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Berg Insight, the world’s leading IoT market research provider, today released new findings about the vehicle telematics hardware market.

More than 47.2 million aftermarket telematics devices were sold worldwide during 2022, corresponding to a market value of € 2.4 billion. The performance of the market was still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the following supply chain crisis, but the market has shown recovering signs in 2023. Until 2027, annual shipments of aftermarket telematics devices are forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5 percent to reach 77.6 million at the end of the forecast period.

Berg Insight estimates at the same time that global shipments of OEM telematics hardware for passenger cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles reached close to 58.4 million units in 2022 corresponding to a market value of € 8.4 billion.

A combination of commercial and regulatory drivers now encourages a broader set of carmakers to expand availability of connected car services across geographies and market segments.

There are also numerous OEM telematics offerings from commercial vehicle manufacturers. The attach rate of embedded telematics devices among passenger cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles is forecasted to increase from about 72 percent in 2022 to 93 percent in 2027.

Martin Cederqvist, IoT Analyst at Berg Insight, said:

“Berg Insight ranks Teltonika as the market leader in the aftermarket telematics hardware segment reaching telematics hardware sales of € 139 million.”

Other vendors that hold significant market shares are CalAmp, Queclink, Jimi (Concox) and ERM Advanced Telematics. These five vendors generated together approximately € 483 million in annual revenues from the sales of aftermarket telematics devices. CalAmp has transformed from a pure hardware provider to an end-to-end solution telematics provider. The company is however still a major supplier of hardware telematics and shipped 1.5 million units during 2022, corresponding to sales of € 105 million.

“Other significant aftermarket telematics hardware vendors include Sensata Insights, Positioning Universal and Danlaw from North America; Suntech International, Gosuncn RichLink, Neoway Technology, Gosafe, Kingwo, ATrack and iTriangle from Asia-Pacific; and the European vendors Meta System, Ruptela and Munic”, continued Mr. Cederqvist.

The design and development of OEM telematics systems is complex as these have to integrate with vehicle systems, fulfil strict quality standards and ensure performance during the long lifecycle of a vehicle model. The suppliers of OEM telematics equipment are generally established automotive suppliers that develop their solutions in cooperation with car manufacturers.

“Shipments of OEM telematics hardware for passenger cars and light trucks amounted to about 50.3 million in 2022, representing more than 86 percent of the total OEM telematics hardware shipments.”, said Mr. Cederqvist.

The leading OEM telematics hardware vendors in terms of unit shipments are therefore found in the passenger car and light truck segment. Examples of leading automotive suppliers of OEM telematics hardware include LG Electronics, Continental, Harman Marelli, Denso, Valeo, Actia, Lear, Bosch, Hyundai Mobis, Visteon and Aptiv.

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Vehicle Telematics solutions will benefit greatly from the C10QM’s high-performance automotive SDK capabilities.

Cavli Wireless is geared up to exhibit at the CAEV Expo 2023 in Bengaluru, India, from April 13-14, 2023.

The Connected Vehicle event series focuses on the convergence of IoT, AI, Cybersecurity, and Automotive Telematics, where global innovators and industry leaders meet up, learn and showcase the future of connected automotive technology.

The Cavli booth: ZC 83 will showcase the cutting-edge Cavli C10QM, an LTE CAT1 Cellular Module that is based on 3GPP Release 10 and embeds an eSIM for integrated connectivity over cellular. The C10QM supports integrated GNSS and Voice/SMS over 4G/GSM. The main highlight point of the Cavli C10QM is its support for Linux OS and SDK customized for telematics, which is set to make C10QM a default choice for automotive OEMs.

The Hubble Stack Intelligence enables remote diagnosis, monitoring, and debugging of the C10QM through Hubble Lens, an advanced remote diagnosis feature of the Cavli Hubble IoT platform. This feature eliminates the need for physical intervention, making it possible to scale IoT efficiently. And through its robust operator partnerships in India, Cavli has achieved an extensive presence with its local LTE connectivity solutions, setting new industry standards in service quality and pricing.

John Mathew, CEO, Cavli Wireless, commented:

“As one of the premier trade events for connected and autonomous vehicles, CAEV Expo 2023 provides the perfect platform for unveiling our industry-leading Cellular module for telematics solutions. Cavli Wireless is excited to join industry leaders in this prestigious event and demonstrate our commitment to leading the path forward in revolutionizing the connected mobility space in India.”

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Berg Insight estimates that the global installed base of active off-highway vehicle telematics systems reached 6.6 million units in 2021.

This includes connected units deployed on various off-highway vehicles across the construction, mining, agriculture and forestry sectors.

The construction sector accounts for the largest share, driven by OEM telematics systems offered by heavy equipment manufacturers. Agriculture and mining moreover each account for a similar number of connected units deployed on machines and vehicles used in agricultural and mining operations respectively. The remainder is represented by the forestry sector including telematics systems fitted to various forestry equipment. Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2 percent, the active installed base of off-highway vehicle telematics systems across all sectors is forecasted to reach 12.2 million units worldwide in 2026.

Rickard Andersson, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight, said:

“The top-10 equipment manufacturers offering telematics together account for 70 percent of the total number of off-highway vehicle telematics systems in use across the construction, mining, agriculture and forestry sectors worldwide.”

Berg Insight ranks Caterpillar and Komatsu as the leading off-highway vehicle telematics providers. “Far from surprising, the leading equipment manufacturers by market share are also by far the top players when it comes to the number of off-highway vehicle telematics subscribers”, said Mr. Andersson.

He adds that this is a natural development in an industry where telematics has increasingly been included as standard with the machine purchase, gradually covering more models and equipment categories.

“Caterpillar was the first to surpass the milestone of 1 million connected assets”, continued Mr. Andersson. Other major manufacturers with estimated installed bases of more than 100,000 units include SANY, Volvo Construction Equipment, Deere & Company, Hitachi Construction Machinery, JCB, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Doosan Bobcat.

“Additional players having estimated installed bases of off-highway vehicle telematics units in the tens of thousands include Liebherr, Terex, CNH Industrial, CLAAS Group, AGCO, JLG Industries and Tadano”, concluded Mr. Andersson.

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Berg Insight has in a new market research project found that the global installed base of active construction equipment (CE) OEM telematics systems reached 5.2 million units in 2021.

Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.0 percent, the active installed base is forecasted to reach 9.6 million units worldwide in 2026. This includes all CE telematics systems marketed by construction equipment OEMs, either developed in-house or provided by the CE manufacturers in partnership with third-party telematics players.

The European market accounted for around 0.8 million active construction equipment OEM telematics systems at the end of 2021. The North American market is estimated to be somewhat larger than the European. The Rest of World moreover represents more than half of the global installed base of CE telematics systems provided by construction equipment OEMs.

Most major construction equipment OEMs have introduced telematics offerings for their customers either independently or in collaboration with telematics partners.

Rickard Andersson, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight, said:

“OEM telematics systems are today commonly factory-installed as standard at least for heavier machines and increasingly also for compact equipment.”

Berg Insight ranks Caterpillar and Komatsu as the leading construction equipment OEMs in terms of the number of CE telematics systems deployed worldwide.

“Caterpillar was the first to surpass the milestone of 1 million connected assets in the construction segment”, continued Mr. Andersson.

He adds that Caterpillar and Komatsu are also by far the leading construction equipment manufacturers in terms of market share. Other major players with several hundred thousand active CE telematics units include SANY in China, Sweden-based Volvo Construction Equipment, JCB headquartered in the UK and Japan-based Hitachi Construction Machinery. Deere & Company, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Doosan Bobcat are also estimated to have reached the milestone of 100,000 units.

“Additional players having installed bases of construction equipment telematics units in the tens of thousands include Liebherr, Terex, JLG Industries, CNH Industrial and Tadano”, concluded Mr. Andersson.

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Telematics technology developed in Canada will help improve deep field safety of the BAS team in the South Pole.

Geotab Inc., a global leader in IoT and connected transportation, today announced it is implementing a fleet management platform for British Antarctic Survey (BAS), an interdisciplinary research organization with research stations in the world’s polar regions.

Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Geotab is providing in-depth vehicle telematics data analysis for BAS’ diverse fleet of Antarctic vehicles, including snowmobiles, snow groomers, and tractors, for their latest arduous research expedition to the Antarctic this month.

A Geotab GO device has also been fitted to Britain’s new polar research ship, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, and is being used to plan, track and manage the progress of all of the ship’s polar research expeditions. You can track the ship’s progress through its time-lapsed webcam as it makes its journey through the Antarctic.

Often located thousands of miles away from the main research stations, the team is reliant on efficient communications to ensure safety and to promote the most sustainable use of fleet machinery during their research. On one of the most pristine, untouched continents on the planet, Antarctic research is instrumental in discovering the primary causes and effects of climate change.

In the past, BAS scientists and support teams relied on a high frequency (HF) radio in emergencies. Every time teams stopped, they would have to erect a rig to maintain communication with research stations, a complex task when faced with sub-zero temperatures, rough terrain, and unpredictable weather conditions.

Now, the BAS team is working with Geotab to provide a tailored solution to address their unique challenges and leverage the power of deriving powerful vehicle information data. The Geotab solution, with a modified GO9 telematics plug-in device, will be housed in a custom-built mounting box, ruggedized to protect it from extreme temperatures and conditions. Used in millions of vehicles every day, it includes a variety of real-time telematics functions such as monitoring and diagnostics, operator management, fuel management, staff health and safety management, and dynamic vehicle scheduling for the entire expedition.

The work of the BAS team helps governments and businesses set policies that shape their environmental commitments for the future of our planet, and forms the essential groundwork for the science behind climate conference discussions, such as the recently held COP26 in Glasgow.

With five research stations across the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic and research teams that frequently travel on deep-field expeditions for weeks at a time, it presents enormous connectivity challenges in areas that are ‘off grid’ – without any cell infrastructure and hundreds, if not thousands of miles away from the nearest sign of civilization.

By integrating the MyGeotab fleet management software with the BAS’s mapping system, every single vehicle journey can be tracked accurately, pinpointing the estimated time of departure and arrival, real-time latitude and longitude coordinates, and stops made along the way. Most importantly, the monitoring tool can also function as a distress beacon via the simple push of a button, to assist with the safety of the scientific teams in some of the harshest and remote areas of the planet.

Neil Cawse, CEO at Geotab, said:
“BAS’ commitment to excellence in science is universally recognized and respected, and this international collaboration presents an opportunity to support greater research and development across polar regions. We are delighted to provide our telematics technology and support BAS in their sustainability efforts. Their research into climate change is so important and will undoubtedly benefit governmental bodies, policy-makers, business leaders and citizens around the world.”

For BAS, an organization focused on environmental science, the solution has addressed issues surrounding fuel efficiency and refill locations to encourage more sustainable operations. It has also enabled the organization to better plan and monitor their trips, to further minimize their environmental impact in the polar region.

Ben Norrish, Head of Vehicle Engineering at BAS, said:
“It’s our primary goal to make working remotely, deep-field in the Antarctic safer, more efficient and carbon accountable going forward. Using this technology allows us to achieve all three.”

“Having the ability to live track teams on the ice is a huge asset to route planning and safety of the teams with an added benefit of peace of mind to each person on the ice knowing that if they get into trouble, a search and rescue can be deployed fast and accurately to save lives.”

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Berg Insight estimates that the global installed base of active off-highway vehicle telematics systems reached 5.2 million units in 2020.

This includes connected units deployed on various off-highway vehicles across the construction, mining, agriculture and forestry sectors.

The construction sector accounts for the largest share, driven by OEM telematics systems offered by heavy equipment manufacturers. Agriculture and mining each account for a similar number of connected units deployed on machines and vehicles used in agricultural and mining operations respectively. The remainder is represented by the forestry sector including telematics systems fitted to various forestry equipment.

Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.4 percent, the active installed base of off-highway vehicle telematics systems across all sectors is forecasted to reach 10.7 million units worldwide in 2025.

Rickard Andersson, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight, said:

“The top-10 equipment manufacturers offering telematics together account for more than 70 percent of the total number of off-highway vehicle telematics systems in use across the construction, mining, agriculture and forestry sectors globally.”

Berg Insight ranks Caterpillar and Komatsu as the leading off-highway vehicle telematics providers.

“Far from surprising, the leading equipment manufacturers by market share are also by far the top players when it comes to the number of off-highway vehicle telematics subscribers”, said Mr. Andersson.

He adds that this is a natural development in an industry where telematics has increasingly been included as standard with the machine purchase, gradually covering more models and equipment categories.

“Caterpillar was the first to surpass the milestone of 1 million connected assets”, continued Mr. Andersson.

Other major manufacturers with installed bases of more than 100,000 units include SANY, Volvo Construction Equipment, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Deere & Company and JCB.

“Additional players having estimated installed bases of off-highway vehicle telematics units in the tens of thousands include Bobcat, Doosan Infracore, Liebherr, Terex, CNH Industrial, CLAAS Group, Hyundai Construction Equipment, AGCO, JLG Industries and Tadano”, concluded Mr. Andersson.

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Berg Insight, the leading IoT market research provider, has in a new market research project found that the global installed base of active construction equipment (CE) OEM telematics systems reached almost 4.1 million units in 2020.

Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.3 percent, the active installed base is forecasted to reach 8.3 million units worldwide in 2025. This includes all CE telematics systems sold by construction equipment OEMs, either developed in-house or provided by the CE manufacturers in partnership with third-party telematics players. The European market accounted for around 0.7 million active construction equipment OEM telematics systems at the end of 2020. The North American market is somewhat larger than the European. The Rest of World moreover represents more than half of the global installed base of CE telematics systems provided by construction equipment OEMs.

Most major construction equipment OEMs have introduced telematics offerings for their customers. OEM telematics systems are today commonly factory-installed as standard at least for heavier machines. Berg Insight ranks Caterpillar and Komatsu as the leading construction equipment OEMs in terms of the number of CE telematics systems deployed worldwide.

Rickard Andersson, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight, said:

“Caterpillar was the first to surpass the milestone of 1 million connected assets.”

He adds that Caterpillar and Komatsu are also by far the leading construction equipment manufacturers in terms of market share.

“The remaining top-5 construction equipment OEM telematics players are SANY, Volvo Construction Equipment and JCB”, continued Mr. Andersson. Hitachi Construction Machinery and Deere & Company also have installed bases in the hundreds of thousands.

Other notable OEMs offering CE telematics solutions include Bobcat (Doosan), Doosan Infracore (Hyundai), Liebherr, Terex, Hyundai Construction Equipment, CNH Industrial, JLG Industries and Tadano.

“All of these players have installed bases in the tens of thousands of telematics units deployed on various types of construction equipment, either independently or in collaboration with telematics partners”, concluded Mr. Andersson.

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According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, there were about 0.7 million cars with V2X capabilities on the roads at the end of 2020.

This number is expected to grow to 35.1 million by 2025. Communications between vehicles has been discussed for more than two decades, but with few implementations. One of the main challenges using V2X communications is the lack of industry spanning standards. Two key sets of V2X direct communications exist: 802.11p-based technologies such as dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) and Cellular V2X (C-V2X). The first V2X use cases deployed globally are related to traffic efficiency and basic safety. These include for example local hazard warnings and traffic information as well as emergency electronic brake light warnings and left turn assist.

“V2X implementation is starting to gain momentum in key regions after many years of development”, said Martin Svegander, Senior Analyst at Berg Insight. DSRC-based V2X has been deployed in Europe and Japan, backed by Volkswagen and Toyota. C-V2X is gaining momentum in other regions and is backed by Ford, BMW, Audi and the telecommunications industry. The market is heavily dependent on regulatory mandates and spectrum allocation.

Mr. Svegander continued:

“Policymakers in China favour C-V2X, whereas the US and the EU have been in a regulatory uncertainty.”

In 2020, the FCC reassigned a portion (30 MHz) of the 5.9 GHz band used for ITS to C-V2X. Berg Insight believes that C-V2X will account for about 78 percent of all V2X enabled vehicles in 2025, mainly represented by China. About 50 percent of all new cars sold in China will feature C-V2X as standard in 2025. “Examples of automotive OEMs that have launched C-V2X in China include BYD, GAC, FAW, GM/SAIC, Ford, BAIC BJEV, Weltmeister, Great Wall, Human Horizons and NIO”, concluded Mr. Svegander.

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The trucking industry, and the logistics that keep it running, have become fundamental to the success of supply chains, both nationally and internationally. Without those supply chains running smoothly, allowing for just-in-time orders and millions of successful daily deliveries, industries of all types would grind to a halt. The Brexit situation, with Great Britain withdrawing from the European Union, is a perfect example of the kind of chaos a broken supply chain can create.

Issues such as Brexit may have highlighted how important the trucking industry is, yet geo-political issues such as this are far from the only challenges currently facing freight and haulage, with market demands shifting quickly, and shipments growing accordingly. These issues have put trucking front and center in the eyes of those seeking industry disruption, and seismic changes to the way trucking works. As with so many transformations to the industrial landscape underway, it’s the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, and robotics leading the way and providing truly remarkable solutions to ever-growing problems.

A New Renaissance for the Trucking Industry?

Artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, and the Internet of Things are proving indispensable to the advancement of the trucking industry in the 21st century. While automated cars have dominated headlines in recent years, most analysts – quite reasonably – believe that it will be freight trucks which will be the first fully-automated vehicles in regular use on the roads. Once an AI-driven long-haul industry is in place, it’s not difficult to imagine the rest of the automotive industry catching up.

Reactions to such projections are mixed. While up to 65% of transport executives hail automation and IoT-driven trucking as nothing short of a renaissance for the industry, there are legitimate concerns that overshadow the excitement. First, there is a real risk of job losses – a common fear whenever AI is mentioned. Furthermore, there are legitimate security concerns regarding the onboard cybernetworks of autonomous trucks being hacked by cybercriminals, something which has been mitigated by innovations in the realm of anonymity networks, which can be adapted to autonomous vehicles.

Let’s take a closer look at five ways on which IoT and AI technology is transforming the trucking industry and consider the benefits to the business of just-in-time trucking and logistics.

1. Self-Driving Trucks are Safer

Perhaps the most convincing of all the arguments in support of the (seemingly unstoppable) rise of automated vehicles, both trucks and private cars, is the fact autonomous vehicles and AI-driven trucks are safer for everyone. Long-distance routes that demand long hours of high-intensity focus and alertness are dangerous for both the truck driver and those they encounter on the road. Reliable and accurate AI systems help reduce the risk of accidents, while alleviating pressures on drivers.

The trucking industry is in the midst of a personnel shortage. It’s a hard job. Fewer people are attracted to it, while the demand for haulage continues to increase. More autonomous trucks wouldn’t merely increase staff safety, they’d also help resolve capacity issues. Currently, autonomous trucks still require human drivers in the cockpit. However, as the robot systems become more skilled on their routes, a future of completely driverless fleets of trucks is easily foreseeable.

2. Staying on Top of Your Fleet

The trucking industry’s key expenses are obvious ones, such as fuel, insurance, and drivers’ wages. By tracking the locations, driving habits, and speed of the trucks in a fleet, expenses can be more successfully and efficiently managed. A combination of Big Data, AI, and IoT devices makes this happen more easily and accurately than ever before and requires little more effort than each driver having an ELD (electronic logging device) as part of their smartphone setup.

3. Fewer Repairs, Better Bottom Lines

IoT technology already plays a key role when it comes to overseeing the performance of factory equipment in the manufacturing industry, highlighting when parts need replacing, and keeping an eye on the smooth running of key components. There’s no reason why the same IoT data and technology shouldn’t be applied to the trucking industry by utilizing sensors that detect issues before they arise or recognize when vehicles need servicing.

This is a particularly attractive notion for trucking business owners and investors. Most trucking companies run up mountainous annual repair bills, as high as $15,000 per vehicle, plus another $4,000 for tires. Many of the issues that arise could have been spotted earlier. Cast in this light, smart trucks would save an immense amount of money while creating safer, more efficient fleets at the same time.

This aspect of AI, called predictive maintenance, allows problems to be addressed before they become severe (and more expensive), generating both peace of mind and a better ROI in the process. It’s no wonder that almost 90% of trucking business owners firmly believe that IoT technology is fundamental to their future success.

4. Keeping Shipments in Good Condition

Sensitive cargo, such as plants and flowers or time-sensitive perishable goods, have long been a source of headaches for the entire industry. IoT technology can automatically adjust variables like temperature and humidity in order to ensure optimal conditions for such cargo. Furthermore, it can help drivers select the best routes, taking into account road conditions, construction zones, and accidents to a timely and well-preserved delivery, both of which are critical for consistently happy customers.

In the home package delivery industry (UPS and FedEx), we’ve already seen how the ability to track packages leads to increased customer satisfaction. AI and IoT advancements allow this same functionality to be applied to commercial trucking. This industry, as much as any, can use all the trust it can find in order to future proof it for decades to come.

5. Greater Efficiency in Loading and Unloading Cargo

Last-mile deliveries and just-in-time services are on the increase, which means that every second makes a difference in logistic success rates. Robots working alongside personnel in warehouses, or working independently and fully-automated, have already made significant improvements in efficiency and time-saving procedures.

Speedier loading and unloading times allow trucks to complete more orders in a day. We’re already seeing the latest robotics technologies implemented in warehouses run by companies such as FedEx, with impressive results. Automation in the warehouse is another way to mitigate issues caused by worker shortages, and another key investment area which could save the industry millions.

IoT in the Trucking Industry: Endless Potential

There’s no questioning the fact that robotics, IoT, and AI have and will continue to cause disruption in the trucking industry, helping business owners save time and money, while staying on top of a rapidly changing and often unpredictable sector. Data-driven and tech-centric developments have been the catalysts for the digital transformation currently underway within trucking. From all indications, it appears as though the industry will act as a bellwether for the future of automated vehicles and logistics in general.

While many of the technological advances predicted for the trucking industry remain in the earliest stages, it’s clear that the business of trucking has responded positively, and is quick to adopt the latest IoT developments. With the potential to become a bonafide high-tech sector, the trucking industry plans to keep breaking new technological ground.

The post Delivering the Revolution: How the Trucking Industry Utilizes the IoT and AI appeared first on IoT Business News.

• Full range of Telit products including modules, connectivity and platform provide an all-in-one solution, simplifying internal processes
• Kumpan’s telematics solution ensures worldwide network coverage, with the ability to switch between networks and prioritize network providers

Telit today announced a new partnership with Kumpan, the electric scooter designer and manufacturer on a mission to ensure the next wave of classic European scooters are completely electric, silent and connected.

Providing a full range of best-in-class products, Telit is equipping Kumpan with an all-in-one solution to ensure its new 1954 Ri electric scooter delivers on its promise to make ridesharing simple.

Kumpan’s e-scooter sharing solutions includes front and backend management systems:

• Live tracking with free floating and stationary sharing locations
• User registration, booking of scooters and payment processing via the app
• Rentals and returns, as well as, service planning and management
• Ridesharing, fleet tracking and optimization of utilization analyses
• Open APIs for connection to any fleet-management software

The overall growth in the shared mobility market has exponentially increased in the past three years. Multiple reports from 2019 indicate an increase from 2018 in the number of countries and cities that implemented scooter sharing systems, with the number of registered users jumping significantly worldwide.

Telit’s solution includes:

• Cellular and Bluetooth modules – form factors designed to fit any project to use anywhere.
• Telit simWISE connectivity – provides greater flexibility and functionality than a standard SIM card at a much lower cost with added convenience. With integrated cryptographic capabilities, it connects to any carrier network.
• Telit IoT Platform – allows for connecting, integrating and managing, with visibility, control, interoperability and intelligent insights across the global IoT value chain.

Philipp Tykesson, co-founder and chief sales and marketing officer at Kumpan, said:

“We have long envisioned e-scooter sharing as a steppingstone in the mobility revolution and needed a partner to help us realize our goal of designing and producing a tailor-made electric scooter perfect for the sharing market.”

“Telit offered us a full range of products in an all-in-one solution that not only simplified our internal processes but also opened for us new horizons while enabling overall growth and expansion as we work toward tackling critical transportation and sustainability challenges.”

“We are proud to partner with a visionary company like Kumpan, whose e-scooters are improving—directly and indirectly—the everyday lives of its customers,” said Carlos Perez, president sales at Telit. “It also validates our leadership in providing forward-thinking and environmentally conscious enterprises with embedded, secure connectivity solutions that enable them to enter and compete in emerging markets.”

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According to Berg Insight, the number of telematics service subscribers using embedded systems will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.1 percent from 80.4 million subscribers at the end of 2018 to 339.3 million subscribers at the end of 2024.

Moreover, Berg Insight forecasts that shipments of embedded car OEM telematics systems worldwide will grow from 34.0 million units in 2018 to reach 75.4 million units in 2024, which represents an attach rate of 82.0 percent.

Connected car services have evolved from being a differentiating factor to a common feature with a high attach rate among the premium car brands and are rapidly becoming increasingly common in mid-range vehicles.
GM’s OnStar was launched more than 20 years ago and is today the market leader worldwide with approximately 20.0 million users in total, out of which more than 16.0 million were in North America by year-end 2018. BMW has the second largest user base of an estimated 10.0 million connected vehicles. Mercedes-Benz currently ranks third as Mercedes Me Connect is now available in more than 45 countries and recently launched in the US, Canada, Australia, Thailand and New Zealand. PSA Group is also a leading carmaker with 4.8 million connected vehicles in Europe via Peugeot, Citroën and DS. The carmaker launched an emergency and assistance call service already in 2003. Additional automotive OEMs with over 3 million telematics subscribers also include Volkswagen, Hyundai and FCA Group.

“The automotive OEM telematics value chain spans multiple industries including automotive suppliers, telematics service providers (TSPs), carmakers, telecom industry players, as well as software and content providers”, said Martin Svegander, IoT Analyst at Berg Insight.

TSPs are facing increasing competition from OEM insourcing and new players such as cloud service providers and other automotive suppliers. Today, TSPs such as WirelessCar and Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services have increased their focus on delivering a portfolio of cloud-based services that can be combined to fulfil the automaker’s needs. The major cloud service providers are investing heavily in their connected car offerings and are keen on working with car OEMs. For mobile operators positioning themselves in the cellular IoT market, the OEM embedded telematics market is highly important. Moreover, IoT managed service providers have during the past few years partnered with automotive OEMs to offer global connectivity solutions.

Mr. Svegander added:

“The current structure of the connected car value chain has remained largely unchanged during the past few years. However, new players which enable carmakers to explore ways to utilise the connected car data and develop new services have emerged during the past few years.”

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Autonet’s Dealer Connect product now LTE-enabled.

Sequans Communications S.A. announced that Autonet Mobile, the industry’s first internet-based vehicle telematics service, has selected Sequans’ LTE Cat 1* Calliope platform to provide the LTE connectivity for its flagship Dealer Connect product.

Dealer Connect is the only product that seamlessly provides dealers and consumers with continuous connectivity to their vehicles, creating targeted CRM opportunities, vehicle diagnostics, and valuable real time asset management.

Mike Hultberg, COO and EVP of Autonet Mobile, said:

“Our Dealer Connect product, now with LTE, gives our customers and car owners the power of anytime, anywhere connectivity on a modern, long-lived 4G LTE connection.”

“Sequans is a leader in highly-optimized LTE for IoT solutions, and their LTE Cat 1 technology allowed us to easily and affordably LTE-enable our Dealer Connect product to the benefit of our auto dealership customers.”

Dealer Connect is a connected car solution exclusively for auto dealerships and their customers and provides real-time monitoring of overall vehicle health, notifying both the dealership and the car owner when something needs attention and simultaneously creating the opportunity to schedule a service appointment. Dealers and car owners communicate via the Dealer Connect smartphone app, which gives dealers the ability to track vehicles on their lots, notify customers of service needs and deal offers, and gives car owners the ability to monitor vehicle health and automatically schedule appointments.

“We are proud to contribute our technology to Autonet for this powerful and exciting connected car application,” said Craig Miller, VP of worldwide marketing, Sequans. “LTE Cat 1 is a perfect fit for Dealer Connect, enabling Autonet to extend Dealer Connect’s availability to any dealer, anywhere.”

Autonet is using Sequans’ Calliope LTE Platform, an IoT-optimized chipset solution designed specifically for LTE Cat 1 applications needing up to 10 Mbps of throughput, the ideal speed for Autonet’s Dealer Connect application. Calliope comprises baseband and RF, an integrated IoT applications processor running Sequans’ carrier-proven LTE protocol stack, an IMS client, and a comprehensive software package for over-the-air device management and packet routing.

The Autonet device will be on display at CTIA’s Super Mobility Week, Las Vegas, in Sequans’ meeting room, September 7-9.

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As the first operator in the world, TeliaSonera is introducing a cloud based solution enabling high end car features for the cars of today and tomorrow.

Together with partners from the automotive and insurance industries, a combination of car control functionalities, high performance connectivity and value added services will be made available in the Nordic and Baltic countries starting with Sweden next year.

The unique connected car solution – Telia Sense – was announced today at TeliaSonera´s annual Internet of Things symposium. By using an app together with the installed hardware in the car, car owners get access to existing and coming smart features and upgrades simplifying everyday car ownership.

Hans Dahlberg, Head of TeliaSonera Global M2M Services, says:

“Our cloud based solution can as easily be installed in older as well as newer cars enabling our customers to be in control and feel at home both on and off the road. We don´t make cars but we want to make cars awesome for our customers.”

Partnering with leading companies from automotive and insurance industries, the initial functionalities will enable smart features running from car diagnostics, pro-active car maintenance, tailored car insurance – all available over 4G wifi hotspot connectivity. Telia Sense will be launched in Sweden during 2016 followed by successive roll out in other countries in the Nordic and Baltic region.

“Safer driving is important from a human as well as more environmentally friendly perspective. The combination of our engagement in our customers and focus for safer driving with the expertise and connectivity by Telia is the first step out of many towards the future of connected insurances.”, says Jens Henriksson, CEO of Folksam, a leading insurance company in Sweden.

“We know that simplicity and accessibility are important for our customers and the all-in-one-solution of wifi together with smart services will be an important tool in living up to our customers high demands”, says Per Ovrén, Head of Business Development & Purchasing in Bilia, a leading car retailer and service group in Northern Europe.

Advancements in connected cars, smart homes and digital health are expected to drive market growth for Internet of Things (IoT) solutions in the Nordics by 23 percent annually until 2018, reaching EUR 9.1 billion*. The connected car segment is in itself expected to grow from 0.2 EUR billion in 2012 to 1.8 EUR billion in 2017.

“As a new generation telco we want to be a key player in developing IoT ecosystems together with our partners and customers. The connected car is a case in point; by combining our partners’ industry know-how with our connectivity we create an amazing experience for car owners, drivers and passengers. And we’re super excited about the features yet to come as the ecosystem evolves”, says Hans Dahlberg.

Facts about Telia Sense The cloud based connected car solution will consist of three parts; a monthly subscription, hardware consisting of a car telematics unit with an included SIM-card for installation in the OBD2-port of the car which is available on all cars from 2001, and an app for smartphones.

Some early examples of end user benefits:

• real-time car diagnostics and notifications for simplifying proactive car maintenance and repairs
• driver journal data and eco driving feedback for a more environmentally friendly and cost saving driving
• alarm features and remote monitoring in case the car is moved, broken into or simply just bumped into by another car when parked
• usage based insurance
• high performance connectivity while on the road in order for passengers to enjoy streaming music and film

The end user interface and the technical platform for Telia Sense are provided by Springworks, a pioneer in building smart human interfaces for Internet of Thing-applications. Earlier this year TeliaSonera invested in Springworks in order to leverage the development of innovative services.

Discover more at www.teliasonera.com/m2m

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Automotive Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules and expertise target Vehicle-to-Vehicle communications.

Swiss based u-blox announces the acquisition of the automotive-grade Bluetooth and Wi-Fi module products and a team of key engineers from lesswire AG, a subsidiary of the PRETTL group. Founded in 1999, lesswire is a privately owned company that provides robust vehicle-ready short range wireless communication modules to Tier-1 automotive electronics suppliers in Europe and Asia.

The purchase includes off-the-shelf products, equipment and a team of experts in the area of connected car and short range connectivity modules.

Herbert Blaser, VP of short range products at u-blox, said:

“The addition of the automotive modules from lesswire positions u-blox as a strategic supplier of wireless technology to the fast growing market for in-car and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems.”

“Besides actual high demand for in-car connectivity, next generation smart cars will have advanced safety and collision avoidance systems that depend on robust, reliable communications. Building on u blox’ leadership in automotive positioning electronics, this acquisition adds a key enabling technology to our portfolio. We welcome our new colleagues in Berlin to build on the synergies between our companies.”

“The sale of our automotive short range modules to u-blox is advantageous for both companies,” said Dr. Ralph Meyfarth, lesswire CEO.
“lesswire will continue to focus on system-level products for car connectivity and industrial wireless solutions, and we will depend on u-blox as module-experts to deliver us the key wireless components we need to continue growing in this market.”

lesswire’s module operations in Berlin will become a u-blox product center for automotive-grade short range radio modules. For existing lesswire customers the current product offering will continue to be supported and further developed.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

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Growth in the automotive industry’s highly integrated and highly saturated connected car systems will yield approximately $14.5 billion in revenue from automotive data assets by 2020, according to a connected car study from IHS Automotive, driven by Polk.

In the study, Emerging Technologies: Big Data in the Connected Car, IHS Automotive forecasts there will be 152 million actively connected cars on global roads by 2020, a fraction of the estimated 18 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices on the planet. The study estimates $14.5 billion of value from the OEM connected car landscape from a variety of Big Data assets found in the connected car – diagnostics, location, user experience (UX) /feature tracking, and adaptive driver assistance systems (ADAS)/autonomy. Significantly, the technology growth will drive sales, value-added services and customer experience in the sector for years to come.

“Traditionally Big Data has focused on the ‘4 V’s’ – volume, velocity, variety and veracity,” says Mark Boyadjis, senior analyst of infotainment and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) at IHS Automotive.
“But without understanding the fifth ’V,’ value and the value proposition, the collection of data from the connected car is literally a waste of time. It is important to understand how data from intelligently designed systems will drive billions of dollars of annual revenue between data assets, analytics, and end-user services.”

IHS Automotive estimates conservatively that more than 480 terabytes of data will be collected from the OEM connected car landscape in 2013 through millions of small data transmissions sent through more than 26 million connected cars. A combination of increased connected car sales and a growing scale of information coming from connected cars will result in the collection of some 11.1 petabytes of connected car data by 2020.

The rate at which the data are flowing from the connected car landscape is also growing dramatically. The study says that about 30 terabytes of data would be collected each day from the 152 million connected cars on the road in 2020, or about 350 megabytes per second, compared to about 15 megabytes per second in 2013.

At present, the majority of connected car data that is collected is used internally for diagnostics, location, speed, and vehicle status. By 2020, the IHS Automotive study expects four core categories of data to be most important to automakers, suppliers, third parties and end-users — diagnostics, location, user experience/features, and adaptive driver assistance systems/autonomy data. Because they will require so much more volume and variety, ADAS/Autonomy is expected to be the largest and most expensive data category in the future.

Boyadjis said:

“The most important challenge this industry has in front of it is organizing systems and defining roles in Big Data from the connected car. Who owns the data, the pipe, and the analytics is still yet to be determined, and will have to be before connected car data can be put to work efficiently.”

More info at www.ihs.com

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AT&T* today announced that on Friday, Nov. 22, it will sell the Audiovox Car Connection Elite Series, a telematics and location-based service solution designed to help consumers monitor, manage and maintain vehicle health and safety.

AT&T will exclusively provide wireless 3G connectivity for the Car Connection Elite and consumers will be able to access up to the minute information through a mobile app or web interface.

The Audiovox Car Connection Elite Series is a do-it-yourself plug-in On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) device that will work on almost all 1996 and newer model year vehicles. The solution allows you to know where your vehicle is and can provide you walking directions to where it is parked when needed. Users can setup safety zones and receive alerts when a driver enters or exits those zones. The device can reduce driver distraction by restricting cell phone usage** and provides driver scores to coach young drivers. It also monitors your vehicle’s health with diagnostic reports and reviews recent trips to help monitor fuel consumption which may allow you to conserve gas and save money.

Audiovox Car Connection Elite Series will be available on www.att.com or through AT&T retail stores at a price of $179.99. The product comes with no contract required, no activation fee, and only needs a $10 per month data plan.

“Combining the power of the AT&T wireless network with Audiovox telematics services allows our customers to connect to their cars and continuously receive up-to-date information,” said Chris Penrose, senior vice president, Emerging Devices, AT&T Mobility. “Safely enabling connectivity across all vehicles is our goal, and we are excited to work with Audiovox to bring such a great set of services to the market.”

“AT&T and Audiovox are pleased to provide a new self-installed telematics solution for today’s consumer driving needs,” said Tom Malone, president of Audiovox Electronics Corporation.

“The driver distraction, teen driving and safety zone features of Car Connection Elite all help protect the driver and vehicle, and it addresses a growing area of consumer concern.”

The post AT&T Launches Audiovox Car Connection™ Elite Series, a Do-It-Yourself Device that allows you to Monitor, Protect, Maintain and stay in Control of Your Vehicle in Virtual Real-Time appeared first on IoT Business News.

TeliaSonera Global M2M Services will provide connectivity in Tesla Motors’ award winning Model S to customers in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia and Latvia.

The collaboration enables Tesla to optimize the process of deploying and managing connectivity to its electric vehicles, from the factory to the customer. Tesla’s Model S offers an entirely new driving experience, featuring connected services like remote vehicle diagnostics, internet radio, and web browsing, all available at the driver’s fingertips through a 17” touchscreen and continually improved through remote software upgrades.

Hans Dahlberg, Head of TeliaSonera Global M2M Services, says:

“Tesla’s Model S demonstrates that connected cars provide an improved driving experience and more cost efficient cars by smart maintenance and management of connectivity.”

TeliaSonera’s M2M-services offer Model S customers superior mobile connectivity, putting rich content at the driver’s fingertips through the 17” touchscreen. The digital instrument cluster, steering wheel controls, media, communications, cabin controls and vehicle data is all available through the touchscreen. Connectivity also enables remote vehicle diagnostics to relay information about the car’s safety, security and performance to the driver and Tesla service staff in real time and Tesla service staff is remotely informed about potential issues and part needs ahead of a service visit. The driver is informed through the touchscreen when the car needs service. Maintenance of the Model S is further improved by frequent remote upgrades to the car’s software.

“Model S is a whole new class of connected car, constantly made better by updating with features and content that our customers want. We look forward to our partnership with TeliaSonera” said Peter Carlsson, Vice President of Supply Chain Purchasing at Tesla Motors.

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Danlaw, Driveprofiler and Telit Collaborate to Bring Best Practices and Clarity to UBI Application Development Market.

Telit Wireless Solutions, and Danlaw, a global provider of vehicle telematics solutions, and automotive electronics and Driveprofiler, a global provider of UBI solutions, today announced the companies are collaborating to help bring clarity and share best practices with industry regulators and members of the automotive insurance value chain as the popularity of Usage Based Insurance (UBI) rises world-wide.

Reacting to unprecedented demand from broadly adopted UBI, solution providers to the Insurance Industry everywhere are scrambling to design and bring to market ever bolder approaches to deliver more savings on insurance premiums and enhanced user experience for drivers the world-over. But the architecture of some solutions have created apprehension among insurance providers and regulators. That prompted the two companies to step up efforts and add value to discussion evolvingensuing globally on the pros and cons of using the smartphone not only for account management “Apps” but also for sensing and detection of drive-time and driver behavior – two critical dimensions used by insurers to calculate discounted premiums.

It is clear that Smartphones will continue rising in popularity and penetration in the coming years. The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that the market will see continued increase in Smartphone shipments expected to top 1.7 billion handsets this year and over 2.2 billion devices by 2016.  With the rise of the Smartphone, the market has also seen an increase in number and versions of operating systems upon which these Smartphones are based. Even though there are three prevalent systems, they proliferate in versions quickly filling the market with platform variants, making effective use of smartphones a challenge for developers and insurers eyeing the popular consumer gadget and its internal sensors as a source of driving information.

Regulators and insurance carriers alike are also concerned with the potential for fraud associated with hacking of Smartphones. Until the Smartphone and OS industry resolve this issue to the satisfaction of critical services providers, the viability of the use of Smartphones for UBI programs remains questionable.

“The Smartphone today is an extremely powerful and versatile tool for just about anything”, said Nate Bryer, VP Innovation at Danlaw.

“This one device has successfully supplanted point and shoot cameras, voice recorders, mp3 players, navigation devices, handheld gaming systems and portable video players. There is a plethora of power and functionality in every smartphone with new functionality being added each year. Despite all this power and functionality though, smartphones still lack the ability to provide clean, consistent and accurate driving data that can be used in usage based insurance programs.”

“As of today, the only way to generate and gather the data needed for a UBI program is an embedded or self-installed device that is tied into a vehicles electronic system. Insurance companies today can actually use both by having these two devices working in tandem to provide a very powerful and customer friendly product that combines the data quality of an installed device with the versatility and ubiquity of a smartphone.”

Ken Osler, Director at Driveprofiler added:
“While our solution suite caters the full range of services from Smartphone to an OBDII installed device, our working experience is that customers prefer the option of using the OBDII device for UBI and the Smartphone as a “teaser” to introduce the concept.”

“The use of Smartphone technology as primary means of data collection, processing, and transmission for UBI or any other Telematics application is problematic at best.  The technical strength of the solution is minimal, the regulatory climate is unfavorable with legal and liability risks essentially unbound”, said Cyril Zeller, VP Global Telematics at Telit Wireless Solutions.

“Telit cellular modules have integrated solutions like Danlaw’s and Driveprofiler that are based on dedicated hardware embedded or directly installable in the vehicle’s OBDII diagnostic port for many years now. These provide much superior technical performance handling exceptionally the complexity and managing risks associated with programs in all application areas under development by the insurance industry.”

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Vehicle telematics pioneer, Risk Technology, has signed an exclusive partnership agreement to work with the RAC for the launch of RAC Advance, a revolutionary new product for motorists that incorporates advanced crash detection technology, fuel saving, driver scoring and remote vehicle diagnostics and prognostics.

The RAC Advance solution incorporates the company’s leading-edge vehicle telematics technology in a range of solutions that include fleet, insurance and breakdown applications. Under the terms of the agreement, the RAC will also become Risk Technology’s UK delivery partner to increase the service available to their existing client relationships.

The launch of RAC Advance follows two years of ongoing co-operation between the two companies, with Risk Technology customising its vehicle telematics solutions to fit the RAC brand and its membership. Risk Technology’s IP is embedded inside the new, RAC Advance, matchbox-sized devices. In addition the company is providing a full software solution and administration portal that totally integrates with the RAC’s system and processes as well as those of its partners.

Following two years of testing, the RAC is predicting that RAC Advance will turn the breakdown industry ‘on its head’. RAC members will be able 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 members will be able to check multiple levels of performance and key information via an app on the driver’s phone or tablet.

Described by the RAC as ‘breakdown for the 21st century’, in the event of a breakdown RAC Advance will alert the response team who can remotely connect with the onboard diagnostics software to identify the fault and accurately position the motorist’s location, enabling the rescue service to quickly despatch a patrol, pre-equipped with the diagnosis, repair solution and parts. Should the diagnosis determine that the breakdown cannot be fixed at the roadside then a recovery vehicle can be swiftly arranged.

“The RAC chose Risk Technology due to its innovative IP position, its expertise across a wide range of tracking disciplines and its ability to deliver,” says Kerry Michael, RAC Commercial Director.

“RAC Advance is a giant leap forward that will provide our members with an easier, safer and more affordable driving experience. The application for our insurance and corporate customers is also ground-breaking.”

“Since the RAC was founded 116 years ago we have always been at the forefront of breakdown technology so RAC Advance is just the kind of innovation people have come to expect us to develop.”

Already fitted to the RAC’s 1,700 patrol vehicles and more than 35,000 fleet vehicles, RAC Advance will be available to all existing and new RAC members and offers a multitude of additional functionality. For example the technology enables drivers to review their driving and drive more efficiently by accelerating and braking less sharply and using the vehicle’s momentum to best advantage, thereby reducing fuel costs.

“The Risk ethos and slogan is ‘Your brand, our technology’”, says Mark Packman, Managing Director of Risk Technology.

“We partner companies and customise our solutions to fit their brand and customers. The RAC project combines a wide range of our services and solutions and demonstrates why Risk Technology is the leading creator of mass-market vehicle telematics solutions.”

Risk Technology has been granted approval to use the ‘powered by RAC’ brand worldwide and plans to utilize this to rollout their vehicle telematics solutions to breakdown, insurance and other consumer brands internationally.

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Partnership deal involves over 50,000 SIM subscriptions | Wireless Logic platform opens new opportunities for Isotrak’s clients | Europe beckons as Isotrak’s service offerings develop

London: Leading fleet telematics and systems integration specialists Isotrak (www.isotrak.com) has signed a three-year rolling contract with Europe’s largest independent M2M managed services provider, Wireless Logic (www.wirelesslogic.com) in a deal worth in excess of €2.2m. The new contract sees a base of over 50,000 SIM subscriptions along with ambitious growth plans which will involve connectivity solutions in both the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.

In just 12 years, Isotrak has built an enviable reputation to deliver best-in-class telematics solutions that deliver ‘new thinking’ to the world of fleet management. Its superior knowledge of asset tracking and telematics solutions has enabled it to develop and deliver fully integrated solutions to many of the UK’s best-known fleet operators including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Eddie Stobart and DHL. All of these customers benefit from Isotrak’s bespoke management platform backed by a high-availability Service Level Agreement and utilisation of technology from partners such as Microsoft and Dell.

A fundamental aspect of the entire Isotrak proposition is resilient mobile connectivity across GPRS and 3G. Until now, Isotrak’s airtime provision was exclusive to one operator and its range of tariffs.
“We have enjoyed good service and support yet the market is demanding more flexibility and choice”, comments Andrew Hutson, Sales Engineer Director, Isotrak.
“We set about a mission to identify independent providers that could give access to multiple networks and a range of value-added services enabling us to create tailored solutions to our growing customer base.”

Through a rigorous search, the Isotrak team identified Wireless Logic as their preferred partner, bringing over 10 years of expertise in M2M connectivity and managed services. Enjoying solid relationships with all UK and an increasing number of European networks, Wireless Logic’s pitch ticked all of the boxes and more for the Isotrak requirement:
“Isotrak’s need demonstrates the importance in which major telematics organisations place in their connectivity provider,” comments Matt McPherson, Sales Manager UK, for Wireless Logic.

“Better real-time visibility, more control, and one management platform for multiple networks were all critical in their decision marking. Utilising our provisioning, management and billing platform ‘SIMpro’ delivered the answers that Isotrak required.”

The bulk of Isotrak’s connectivity will continue across the Vodafone network with all subscriptions being ported onto the Wireless Logic platform. Added to this, Isotrak clients will now be offered a range of tariff solutions that can accommodate their preference of network.
“Providing the flexibility of network choice and tariffs gives us a USP that ensures best value and better transparency,” comments Isotrak’s Andrew Hutson.
“And with the arrival of 4G, we now have comprehensive accessibility to all appropriate networks, particularly in regard to new service offerings such as our mobile data applications. Here, we require faster technology for mobile handset-based image signature or image capture, as well as more data-rich applications such as remote tachograph downloads.”

Wireless Logic will also build on the aggregated data models that Isotrak have utilised in the past. “In essence, we are enhancing the work of Vodafone to take Isotrak to the next level in tailored M2M managed services connectivity,” continues Matt McPherson of Wireless Logic.
“We have put in place the most resilient of platforms together with first class service support – freeing up the Isotrak teams to focus on their growing telematics offerings. We will deliver solutions that precisely match each of their telematics requirement. With Wireless Logic, it will not be ‘one size fits all’.”

In the coming months Isotrak and Wireless Logic will be working closely on a number of European opportunities utilising the growing number of relationships that Wireless Logic now enjoy with mobile network operators in mainland Europe. Each of these is accessed via their European offices which are located in France, Germany and Spain. Last word to Andrew Hutson of Isotrak:
“We are delighted to be commencing this important relationship with Wireless Logic. As two progressive and innovative organisations, we share the same values – this partnership will be good for our customers.”

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AT&T Network to Power Audiovox Telematics and Location-Based Service System.

AT&T* today announced an agreement with Audiovox Electronics Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of VOXX International (NASDAQ :VOXX) to provide network connectivity to an Audiovox telematics and location-based service system designed to help consumers monitor, manage and maintain vehicle health and safety. According to Audiovox, the addressable market for this system is approximately 165 million cars.

The system is a do-it-yourself plug-in On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) device that will work on all post 1996 model year vehicles. The system allows cell phone restriction while driving, vehicle tracking and even has a ‘lot spot’ feature that helps you find your car with Google maps for those times when you forget where you parked it at the mall. Maintenance alerts and reminders are sent directly to you, and the driver scoring feature lets you coach young drivers and monitor fuel consumption to conserve gas and save money.

The system is also the gateway to additional security and convenience features such as vehicle lock/unlock for remote access and remote start all managed through a smartphone app. For these upgrade features, a consumer would be required to purchase additional security and/or remote start modules and have them professionally installed.

The OBDII device will use an embedded HSPA wireless modem to send telematics and location data that can be accessed through a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.

Audiovox plans to market its telematics solution through its nationwide distribution network, which is one of the most extensive in the industry.

“Audiovox is on the leading edge of a wave of connected products that deliver advanced services to cars that would not otherwise be connected,” said Chris Penrose, senior vice president, Emerging Devices, AT&T Mobility.
“Combining the power of the AT&T network with Audiovox’s telematics solution unlocks amazing sets of capabilities for our customers.”

“I am pleased to add AT&T as a service provider for our OBDII device,” said Tom Malone, president of Audiovox Electronics Corporation.

“AT&T has a solid track record of supporting new and innovative connected devices to the marketplace, and we are very excited about this relationship as it will allow us to continue connecting vehicles and their drivers; providing advanced technology to monitor the vehicle’s health.”

AT&T is a telematics leader, offering mobile Internet access in vehicles manufactured by both domestic and foreign automobile makers. AT&T provides outstanding connected and M2M device support and professional services to many of the world’s largest device manufacturers and global exporters of wireless-enabled equipment.

AT&T has certified and supports over 1,500 varieties of connected devices, such as tablets, eReaders, tracking devices and mobile personal emergency response (mPERS) systems. AT&T’s labs have a dedicated team of engineers focused on bringing new devices to market, global roaming and integrated SIM provisioning, billing and reporting tools.

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First-of-its-kind report, ‘Connected Car Industry 2013′ details global challenges.

Telefónica Digital has just published the ‘Connected Car Industry 2013′ report, featuring contributions from eight of the world’s largest car manufacturers and Machina Research. The report provides first-of-its-kind insight into the car industry’s biggest transformation in over a century, detailing the opportunity, challenges and critically, a blue-print of how car manufacturers and telcos need to work together in the form of a 10-point action plan.

The Connected Car market will achieve mass-market penetration in the next few years, seeing the number of vehicles with built-in connectivity increase from 10 per cent of the overall market today to 90 per cent by 2020.

As this change takes place, the report identified four strategic themes: the transformation of the present-day dealership model, how these new services and connectivity will be paid for, concern over opening the car to third party providers, and the role of the mobile operator in powering this seismic change within the industry.

Redefining a century-old business model

Consumer demands around Connected Car services will require transforming a business model which has remained largely unchanged for over a century according to the report. With product lifecycles, payment interactions and customer service being traditionally measured in years, the Connected Car consumer will require a new service dynamic, more akin to the telecoms industry where such cycles are measured in months.

Service bundles, delivery channels, product pipelines, pricing and customer support will be heavily impacted, and in some cases new business models will need to be created from scratch as the dynamic between manufacturer, dealer and customer evolves.

1. Forecourt dynamics

Dealers have historically been able to get a car from sale agreement to delivery time in just 20 minutes. According to the report, the complexity of ‘extras’ and personalisation has increased this to an average of 1.5 hours and is only set to go up further as more connected services become available.

This has implications on the dealers cost of sale per vehicle, as well as the type of sales and technical skills required.

That however, can be off-set by the advantages a Connected Car sale provides a dealer. For example, automatically alerting customers and service dealerships to poor and failing performance in vehicles, enabling proactive and preventative maintenance requests and longer-term maintenance agreements.

Additionally, the report identifies a new relationship between car manufacturer and owner once they have left the forecourt. Branded app stores, upgrades to software solutions over-the-air and, on and off-board vehicle solutions will provide them with opportunities engage directly with car-owners and maintain a deeper, longer term and more interactive relationship.

2. Paying the bills

Many of the questions raised in the report concern over who will pay for what in this new Connected Car universe. Consumers are used to a one-off payment when purchasing a car, however car manufacturers have realised selling ‘just’ cars is no longer profitable.

Traditional telematics services have had low data usage, however Connected Car services are set to see these levels increase exponentially.

Audi announced in January that its 50,000 Audi connect® customers had used over 75 terabytes of data since launch in April 2011, four times the contents of the US Library of Congress.

Car manufacturers need to develop innovative pricing models that provide the flexibility and value that consumers demand from comparable services. General Motors has suggested that mobile operators could recognise vehicles as a second device on a customer’s data plan for a low monthly fee, or advertising models could be introduced to part-fund connectivity.

Flexibility in pricing was high on many automotive OEMs’ wish list, enabling tariffs to be developed around the unique uses of Connected Car services.

3. Collaboration is the key to success

The report found that the car manufacturing industry was looking to mobile operators as their partner of choice to not only enable connectivity, but to share their understanding and experience of building stronger and closer relationships with the hyper-connected consumer.

Collaborative teams from the car manufacturing industry and mobile operators need to be established to share knowledge and develop new innovative business models. With the report finding that not only will they be a key-enabler of the new business models required for the Connected Car industry to exist, but also to act as a catalyst for this change.

The report also highlights a number of areas that car manufacturers are looking to mobile operators to address. These include offering global connectivity arrangements, end-to-end services (incorporating software updates, data management etc) and data pricing.

4. Caution around app ecosystems

Although apps are expected to be part of the ecosystem, with manufacturers like Renault launching their own app stores, automotive manufacturers believe that issues of security and reliability mean Connected Cars are unlikely to become environments for open app development.

Overall, automotive OEMs believe that the potential market for apps in Connected Cars will be far smaller than has been experienced in the smartphone sector.

Quotes

Futurist Ian Pearson believes the Connected Car will have an almost unimaginable transformational impact on our driving experience:

“In the further future, cars will come to you. They will take you where you want, and then you can just abandon them to go off to serve someone else. They will in effect offer a comfortable and socially inclusive form of public transport. This could even lead to buses disappearing from our streets.”

He continues: “Personalisation of the car environment will also become common. As you get in, the seat will automatically move to your preferred position, instructed by your phone. Even fabrics and other interior surfaces will be able to adapt their appearance and textures electronically to your taste. This could reduce the demand for ownership even further. Why own your own car when every car feels like it’s yours?”

Carlos Morales, Global M2M Director at Telefónica Digital said:
“The Connected Car is one of the most exciting innovations we have seen in over a century of automotive development. This report is the first of its kind, compiled in association with some of the world’s largest car manufacturers and industry experts, providing advice on the steps we need to take at a global cross-industry level to realise the market potential and transform an industry.”

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ABI Research forecasts that the total revenue, comprising hardware shipments, and service subscriptions, for commercial fleet telematics in the government sector will increase from a total of $618 million at the end of 2012 to $1.26 billion globally by the end of 2018.

In the current economic climate, government and public sector agencies are under relentless pressure to reduce costs whilst at the same time maintain service levels, and are looking at ways of improving the utilization of their vehicle fleets and ensuring that these fleets comply with new regulatory and environmental legislation.

Gareth Owen, principal analyst at ABI Research, comments:

“The main market drivers behind the adoption of telematics in government fleets are government mandates designed, for example, to lower fuel consumption and gas emissions or to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles.”

The US government is promoting the adoption of telematics in federal vehicles by simplifying the purchasing process. Federal agencies can ‘add’ appropriate telematics solutions to vehicles leased from GSA Fleet—the vehicle leasing arm of the federal government—and add the cost of the telematics to their monthly leasing plan. Key providers with pre-qualified Blanket Purchase Agreements to offer services in this way include NetworkFleet, Trimble, and Drivecam. There are similar purchasing initiatives at state and local levels.

“Although there are no plans to mandate telematics adoption at the federal level yet, there are a number of initiatives underway to mandate the use of telematics at state government levels,” adds Owen. State departments typically have more sophisticated requirements as they operate specialized vehicles, such as snow ploughs and refuse vehicles, where there is a need to demonstrate that certain operations were carried out satisfactorily. As a result, telematics is increasingly effective in improving services levels, productivity, and in particular, disputing insurance claims.

Telematics providers who have developed specialized applications to meet such requirements include Teletrac and Sprint (with partner Geotab) in the United States and Masternaut and Digicore (via its Ctrack brand) in Europe.

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