Technology news and briefs for the week of March 6, 2022:
Rand McNally adds to its fleet platform
Rand McNally has added video telematics with machine vision and artificial intelligence to its product suite.
The two-way dash camera, which has flexible features to adapt to all sizes and types of fleets, has a road-facing camera that warns drivers before collisions may happen and an optional cab-facing camera that helps protect drivers in the event of an accident.
The camera aims to safeguard fleets from fraudulent claims as well as help reduce collisions and potentially lowers insurance costs.
If there is an event, the camera records and saves video, which is automatically uploaded to the cloud. The camera has learning technology to weed out false alerts and reduce time spent monitoring video.
If privacy is a concern, the device can be used as a road-facing dash cam only. The in-cab-facing camera can be disabled and capped or used as a sensor without video recording to identify distracted behavior. The road-facing camera can live stream video to provide managers with instant access to what's going on during daily situations.
AI used in the camera is powered by Surfsight by Lytx, which gives Rand Video Telematics use of a database with 120 billion miles of professionally analyzed driving data.
Orbcomm updates telematics solution with new enhancements
Orbcomm has added several new feature enhancements to its truck telematics product, which provides nose-to-tail intelligence that delivers deep data insights to fleets, aiming to help streamline their operations.
The new features include a cargo camera sensor, a tractor ID sensor for refrigerated trailers and safety and maintenance integrations.
The cargo camera sensor can immediately identify the status of a trailer with images that show load and unload progress, load shift, cargo or asset damage, dunnage and cleanout verification.
The device can send images to the back office when the trailer’s door is opened or closed while paired with a door sensor, as well as when the driver begins or ends a move. Image capture can be triggered manually from the back office at any time so dispatch can see the status of the trailer when needed. The sensor can capture, store and transmit hundreds of images with a large storage capacity.
Tractor ID sensor integrates with Orbcomm’s refrigerated trailer solution to address the costly industry pain point of incorrect tractor-trailer pairing by using Bluetooth and radar filtering technology. It ensures the tractor will connect to the desired trailer, while filtering out nearby trailers that could otherwise lead to inaccurate pairings, increasing driver efficiency and retention. By validating that drivers are transporting the correct refrigerated cargo to the correct location on time, the sensor helps prevent the loss of revenue due to increased fuel usage from wasted driving hours, cargo spoilage that can lead to high insurance claims.
Orbcomm has also completed a new integration with Bendix, which provides software that collects and transmits safety data and video of severe events along with driver identification and transforms it into actionable information in real time. With Bendix, Orbcomm customers can assess driving trends and develop targeted driver training to improve fleet safety and compliance.
Orbcomm is also partnering with Noregon to help customers save on vehicle maintenance and increase uptime with their TripVision software and is adding trailer maintenance to provide a complete picture of fleet health.
Navistar standardizes factory-installed telematics devices
Navistar is standardizing factory-installed telematics devices on all Class 6-8 International Truck and IC Bus vehicles, including electric models, to help improve uptime and lower total cost of ownership.
The factory-installed and warranted telematics device broadcasts data to Navistar’s connected services platform OnCommand Connection, which aggregates vehicle health and performance data and turns that into actionable information.
The standard OnCommand Connection service package provides customers access to over-the-air programming vehicle software updates for approved engine calibrations and performance parameter updates to improve customer uptime by keeping vehicles on the road; vehicle health monitoring that can help identify issues and allow customers to take the appropriate action; GPS and geofencing functionality that allows for asset tracking and protection; and access to the International 360 service communications platform that streamlines the service scheduling process and allows customers to customize routine maintenance intervals based on vehicle usage.
The data insights gathered are viewable through the OnCommand Connection and the International 360 portal via desktop or tablet and will be available through a mobile phone app to be released later this year.
Navistar first made OnCommand Connection standard in its Class 8 on-highway vehicles in 2018.
CartonCloud to expand into North American market
An Australian logistics software provider is making its first foray into North America next month with an office in Vancouver.
CartonCloud COO Shaun Hagen will spearhead the company’s expansion into Canada followed by the U.S. later in the year.
CartonCloud’s warehouse, transport and integrated 3PL management systems allow SMEs to enhance their operations through features that provide automation of data entry and admin, better integrations, flexible and efficient workflows and enhanced recipient experience for last-mile providers.
The company already has two Canadian customers that have integrated CartonCloud into their operation, and Hagen said in a news release that it has a goal to secure 40 new North American customers by the end of the year, supported by a local team of eight staff.
The move follows a recent $12 million capital raise from MA Financial, which the company is using for its expansion as well as to significantly increase headcount and fast-track development to roll out new features.
“We're looking forward to increasing our research and development, expanding the team and having the ability to roll out new features and product updates sooner so we can keep our customers ahead of the game,” said CartonCloud CEO Vincent Fletcher. “Our growth and the success of the CartonCloud software comes from a deep understanding of the key issues and trends impacting our industry. CartonCloud is built to be the solution for the pain points in our industry.”
