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.

The post IoT for Telematics Applications: Transforming Transportation and Beyond appeared first on IoT Business News.

A first wave of automakers and industry suppliers – led by Toyota Motor Corporation – is adopting Ford SmartDeviceLink software – a huge step toward giving consumers more choice in how they connect and control their smartphone apps on the road.

SmartDeviceLink is the open-source software on which the Ford SYNC® AppLink platform is built. It provides consumers an easy way to access their favorite smartphone apps using voice commands. Automotive suppliers QNX Software Systems and UIEvolution also are adopting the technology, with plans to integrate it into their products.

By adopting this Ford technology, automakers and suppliers are helping accelerate an industry standard that will increase the number of apps available for in-vehicle use. With common industry software, developers can focus on creating the best experience on one platform – SmartDeviceLink – which will be available to customers of many brands.

PSA Peugeot Citroën is investigating adding SmartDeviceLink to its vehicles. Automakers Honda, Mazda and Subaru also are considering adding the software.

Don Butler, Ford executive director, Connected Vehicle and Services, said:

“The true benefit of a common smartphone app communications interface is that it creates an industry standard – enabling great experiences for customers while allowing different companies the freedom to differentiate their individual brands.”

“Ford is making the software available as open-source, because customers throughout the industry benefit if everybody speaks one language.”

SmartDeviceLink software, including AppLink, is part of Ford Smart Mobility – the plan to take Ford to the next level in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics.

How an industry standard benefits consumers
SmartDeviceLink-equipped vehicles enable drivers to manage popular smartphone apps using display screens, buttons and/or voice recognition commands. Popular music apps such as Spotify and iHeartRadio, information apps including AccuWeather and MLB, retail apps such as Domino’s, and a growing list of apps from around the world are already available for Ford AppLink users.

Those apps become more readily available in vehicles equipped with SmartDeviceLink because developers have access to higher volumes of vehicles and new capabilities. For automakers and suppliers, SmartDeviceLink adoption broadens the choice for customers in how they connect and control their smartphones while on the move. Adoption also supports increased quality and security of the software as multiple parties can collaborate on improvements.

As part of Ford SYNC, AppLink is available on more than 5 million Ford vehicles globally. The technology is expected to reach 28 million more vehicles by 2020.

Industry-wide adoption of SmartDeviceLink will help the technology spread to new markets, such as China, Taiwan, New Zealand and Thailand.

Later this year, Ford will introduce the next version of AppLink based on SmartDeviceLink software, allowing customers to access their favorite compatible navigation app – much as they do on a smartphone – on in-vehicle touch screens. The upgrade brings smartphone navigation to the car, an important feature for customers worldwide.

Growing the connected car community
By making SmartDeviceLink software available to the open-source community, Ford is providing the industry a way to maintain differentiated, brand-specific entertainment and connectivity systems that deliver on customer expectations for smartphone app integration – regardless of smartphone.

Livio, a wholly owned Ford subsidiary, continues to manage the open-source project by working with SmartDeviceLink adopters to build the appropriate interfaces into each unique vehicle environment.

“Developing a safer and more secure in-car smartphone connectivity service – which better matches individual vehicle features – is exactly the value and advantage an automaker can offer customers,” said Shigeki Terashi, executive vice president, Toyota Motor Corporation. “We expect that many companies share our view and will participate in the industry SmartDeviceLink collaboration.”

More than 40 automotive manufacturers use QNX Software Systems, including Ford, which employs the operating system for SYNC 3. QNX plans to integrate SmartDeviceLink into its QNX CAR platform for infotainment, which supports a wide variety of OEM systems. This could help to rapidly migrate the interface to millions of vehicles around the world.

The post Toyota adopts Ford SmartDeviceLink software appeared first on IoT Business News.

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.

The post Novatel Wireless and RAC Motoring Services Sign Agreement for Advanced Telematics Solutions appeared first on IoT Business News.

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.

The post Novatel Wireless Advances M2M Portfolio with Generation-Skipping MT 3060 for Commercial and Consumer Telematics Markets appeared first on IoT Business News.