Skip to main content

The Evolution of Commercial Vehicle Telematics Apps

Armed with today's mobile and cloud-based technology, commercial vehicles like new trucks or vans no longer need expensive PC hardware, and the availability of consumer mobile devices with increasingly sophisticated capabilities means that smaller fleets are embracing commercial telematics.

Most commercial fleet operators in numerous industries around the globe are already using smartphones as service access devices to monitor their vehicles remotely.

Now commercial telematics service providers are increasingly adapting their core applications -- including track and trace/route planning, driver behavior and fuel management solutions -- to run on consumer-grade smartphone and media tablet devices.

"With GPS and accelerometer functionality, plus the power and flexibility of a sophisticated computer, smartphones and tablets are already important platforms for telematics applications," said Gareth Owen, principal analyst at ABI Research.

As sensors continue to develop, and new technologies such as voice and gesture recognition improve further, smartphone and tablet-based applications will become even more compelling for fleet telematics.

Commercial telematics providers such as Telogis and XRS Corporation are becoming device independent and are making their solutions available on consumer-grade smartphone and tablet devices -- as well as the typical ruggedized, customized mobile and tablet PC devices.

Another significant trend is that ruggedized mobile devices increasingly being based on a smartphone OS such as Google Android, rather than Microsoft Windows.

For example, the Zonar Technologies new 2020 remote terminal is based on a modified Android platform which gives fleet operators the flexibility to use applications from third party providers as well as from Zonar.

There are also an increasing number of specialist providers, such as GreenRoad, who are focused specifically on developing lower-cost Android and iOS based telematics solutions for consumer-grade smartphone and tablet devices.

Although there will always be a need for fixed terminals which cannot be switched off in certain specialized verticals, such as oil and gas or mining due to safety reasons, ABI sees the trend towards using consumer-grade devices accelerating strongly in the future -- particularly as truck OEMs are forced to open up their vehicles to third-party applications.

Popular posts from this blog

How Savvy Pioneers Lead the Future of Work

Hybrid and fully remote work are inevitable in the Global Networked Economy where high-performance talent demands flexibility from employers. To enable these progressive work models, organizations are investing in a wide range of technologies to support more agile types of employment.  According to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC), leading organizations will spend nearly $1 billion on the Future of Work (FoW) in 2023 -- that's an increase of 18.8 percent over 2022. Future of Work Market Development "Work models continue to evolve, but 37 percent of decision-makers in a recent global survey note that Remote and Hybrid work models will be an embedded part of accepted work practices, supported by a continued shift to the cloud, increasingly instrumented and interconnected physical workplaces, and intelligent digital workspaces," said Holly Muscolino, group vice president at IDC . According to the IDC assessment, organizations must mak

Human Resource Transformation Enabled by IT

Many senior executives are taking a proactive approach to digital business transformation in order to achieve their strategic goals. Delivering revenue growth and profitability is now imperative for every function, including Human Resources (HR). The top 3 priority HR technologies this year are skills management, learning experience platforms, and internal talent marketplaces, according to the latest worldwide market study by Gartner. "With a tumultuous global economy, HR technology leaders face a balancing act in 2023," said Sam Grinter, director at Gartner . "Leaders must anticipate greater levels of accountability and demand for measurable outcomes to justify new technology investments." HR Transformation Market Development Forty-four percent of HR leaders report driving better business outcomes is their number one strategic priority for HR technology transformation over the next three years. Growth in headcount and skills (26 percent) and cost optimization (17 p

Virtual Reality Market Set to Reach $100 Billion

Virtual Reality (VR) market growth is now finally coming to fruition. Thanks to current actions and market momentum, VR is approaching what can be considered critical mass. And, not a moment too soon. This growth momentum comes from new hardware and content releases, accelerating enterprise value recognition, and a significant metaverse wild card that could potentially lift adoption and usage. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, over 85 million VR Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) will be shipped in 2027 across consumer and enterprise segments, creating a $100 billion VR market that includes hardware, software, and services. Virtual Reality Market Development "Expectations have been high in VR for years, and even decades, without notable growth to show. That growth is finally coming over the next five years," said Eric Abbruzzese, research director at ABI Research . The barrier to entry is lower than ever, all while content performance and user experien