Posts Tagged ‘GPS’
Camera System Identifies 28 Million “Risky Behavior” Incidents
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Twenty-eight million risky driving events have been captured on video using an in-vehicle camera system.
SmartDrive Systems announced it topped the 28-million mark in the number of risky driving events captured by its in-vehicle SmartRecorder, used by professional fleets and corporations to improve driver performance, reduce accident claims, and save lives.
Risky driving includes fundamental driving errors – everything from failure to yield and incomplete stop at a stop sign, to unsafe lane changing and following at an unsafe distance. It also encompasses distracted or inattentive driving such as driving while talking on a mobile phone, texting, smoking or driver fatigue.
When triggered by speeding, erratic maneuvers, or driver activation, the SmartRecorder saves 30 seconds of video and audio, as well as GPS location, speed, and other accelerometer and vehicle computer data no other solution captures this breadth of data for each event. This multi-dimensional information allows the company to identify the root cause of incidents. Whereas accelerometer data can detect hard braking or sudden swerves, it cannot pinpoint why the events happened – only a comprehensive solution which incorporates video, audio and other input can reveal the full event picture.
Make sure your drivers know about good driving habits and are trained to avoid risky behavior. You may want to pass this along as a reminder!
[via Automotive Fleet]
Photo courtesy of Chrislyb under the Creative Commons License
Tags: camera, GPS, risky behavior, SmartDrive Systems, SmartRecorder
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Satellite Cameras Latest Tool for Catching Speeders
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Satellites are responsible for lots of things in our modern times. They allow for worldwide communication, monitor and predict weather patterns, and even let you know where your next right turn is going to be as you drive to a dinner across town. But now, satellite technology is becoming yet another tool for catching speeders on our roadways.
The new cameras use a combination of plate-reading technology with GPS receivers to measure average speed over longer distances. The new system is intended to cover a network of streets, rather than a straight line down a major thoroughfare.
The system is currently being tested in the United Kingdom, with hopes to deploy elsewhere at a later date. The “SpeedSpike” system, which calculates average speed between any two points in the network, has been developed by PIPS Technology Ltd, an American-owned company with a base in Hampshire, UK.
Officials hope for the new system to reduce speeding in residential areas and reduce avoidant behavior by speeders, such as leaving main roads to “beat the system.”
Concerns have been voiced that such a system would add to already-prevalent government surveillance in the UK, although plate-recognition cameras are already prevalent even in the US.
Photo courtesy of cliff1066 under the Creative Commons License
Tags: GPS, PIPS Technology Ltd, plate-reading, Satellite Cameras, speeders, SpeedSpike, technology, tool
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Disney World Bus System Distracting to Drivers
Monday, April 26th, 2010
From Business Fleet:
Walt Disney World installed GPS-equipped computers in each of its nearly 300 buses, with a goal to reroute buses in real time to handle the heaviest crowds. But critics of the program say the initiative has been a hindrance, with drivers complaining that working with a computer while they operate their vehicles has proven to be a distraction, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The program, called Magic in Motion, has led to more-efficient bus scheduling and lower wait times for guests, according to Disney. Features such as prerecorded passenger announcements broadcast automatically rather than by the drivers has made it easier for drivers to concentrate on the road in front of them, Disney contends.
Under the new program, whenever a Disney World bus completes a round trip, it is issued a new destination based on which stops currently have guests waiting. As soon as a bus finishes one route, a new one is calculated and then displayed on a small computer monitor to the driver’s right.
But some drivers say the system can be distracting. Each time a bus is nearing the end of its route, the driver must radio to a dispatcher to get a five-digit code that the driver then enters into the computer. The computer then displays the new route, updates the bus’ marquee and even changes the music.
Adding to the complaining drivers’ argument was the fact that Disney’s bus system recently recorded three crashes in two weeks.
To help solve the problem of driver distraction, the resort is developing software to automate the process entirely. Disney hopes to roll that out within a year.
Disney also puts all of its drivers through a four-week training program that ensures they are comfortable with the system and that they have driven all of Disney World’s bus routes, during the day and at night.
Photo courtesy of sanctumsolitude under the Creative Commons License
Tags: bus, computers, crashes, drivers, GPS, Magic in Motion, Walt Disney World
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Shell Looks to Disable GPS Screens for Drivers
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
With a worldwide fleet of 14,000 vehicles, Shell, a global group of energy and petrochemicals companies, has asked automakers to disable satellite navigation systems while a vehicle is in motion, reports fleetnews.co.uk.
The goal of this request is to prevent drivers from being distracted while driving. If automakers comply, the in-car satellite navigation systems could only be used when the vehicle is in a stationary position. Once the vehicle is in motion, the screen would become blank and drivers would no longer be able to view the map. However, voice instructions would still operate.
According to the news report, Shell has asked BMW, Volkswagen and Daimler about the initiative, and will soon be talking to Ford and Opel.
Currently, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have agreed to the deal; however, the carmakers have yet to offer a vehicle with a deactivated system.
With a health and safety policy that states that all accidents are preventable, Shell has already banned its drivers from using cell phones while driving. Additionally, the company’s drivers have been told not to accept portable navigation systems that are offered by Shell’s rental car provider in some countries.
Shell hopes other fleet managers follow its lead. The company realizes that navigation systems have some benefits, including reducing emissions, but feels there is no need for the screen to be operational when a vehicle is in motion.
Do you agree with Shell’s policy, or is the distracted driving initiative taking things too far? Leave us a comment and let us know.
Photo courtesy of gTarded under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: BMW, Daimler, fleet managers, fleet vehicles, fleetnews.com.uk, Ford, GPS, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Shell, Volkswagen
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FedEx Applies GPS to Tracking
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
In the growing world of fleet telematics, location-based technologies are becoming more important than ever. Now FedEx is joining the new electronic fleet era with a new tracking system for its customers.
To more precisely track individual shipments in transit, FedEx Corp. is rolling out a new service next year dubbed SenseAware, which will combine a GPS sensor device and a web-based collaboration platform in one package. The new service will become available in the spring of 2010.
A small sensor placed inside of each package works as a multi-modal tracking and tracing solution that spans multiple transportation connections, providing customers with a real-time view of the location of their package and insight into the entire shipping process.
FedEx said it has received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration for SenseAware to be used during flight on FedEx aircraft and will allow FedEx customers to monitor in-transit conditions during the ground transportation leg of such shipments as well, such as precise temperature readings; a shipment’s exact location; when and if a shipment is opened or if the contents have been exposed to light; plus real-time alerts regarding the above vital signs of a shipment.
“One of the basic needs we saw was a sensor-based logistics industry that wasn’t solidifying as quickly as we thought it should around useful sharing of sensor information,” said Robert Carter, FedEx executive VP & CIO. “We developed a point-of-view that sharing sensor information dynamically and in useful ways with supply chain partners proved too difficult, so we attacked this on a number of fronts and the result is SenseAware.”
Is your fleet making the most of telematics?
Photo courtesy of Drewski2112 under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: FAA, Fedex, fleet telematics, GPS, SenseAware
Posted in Industry News | 1 Comment »
GPS Responsible for Increasing Truck Crashes
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
A recent Associated Press report says that New York truckers may soon be penalized for driving on restricted roads directed by GPS devices.
New York Governor David Paterson has proposed penalties including confiscation of trucks and even jail time for drivers who use GPS to take more hazardous routes and end up in situations such as striking low bridges.
“To our knowledge, no other state has similar legislation,” said Clayton Boyce of the American Trucking Association.
“Most trucking companies rely on GPS services that are specifically for trucks and route them away from restricted roads,” he said. “Most of our members also use dispatching and fleet management systems that direct and track the vehicles by truck GPS services.”
The safety group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety said that trucks driving on restricted roads is a fact of life on the nation’s highways and something that will become an ever-increasing problem as more drivers use GPS technology. Senior research director Gerald Donaldson says that GPS adds to the growing number of distractions drivers deal with on a daily basis.
“GPS is the heart of it,” said Donaldson, who predicts other states will soon enact similar restrictions.
AP reported that New York state alone has seen more than 1,400 bridge strikes in the past 15 years, including 46 so far this year in suburban Westchester County, testing many old bridges already in need of repair. One bridge in Westchester was hit nine times this year.
“This sort of culture of just following the GPS and almost ignoring the road signs has created this public hazard,” Paterson said. “It’s only a matter of time before someone is killed or a truck carrying chemicals or explosives hits a bridge.”
The bill would increase penalties for illegally using parkways and require all large commercial trucks to use GPS devices that route them away from restricted roads. It would also hold trucking companies or their insurance carriers responsible for repairs and cleanup after bridge strikes.
The bill could hit the Legislature as early as January, AP reported.
Photo courtesy of news.com.au
Tags: Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, American Trucking Association, Associated Press, GPS, New York
Posted in Industry News | 1 Comment »
Google Maps’ Traffic Reports Protect Privacy
Monday, September 14th, 2009
Google Maps has a new feature that utilizes the functionality of GPS-enabled smart phones to measure traffic conditions on major US highways and arterials. The traffic stats are compiled from whatever data is available at the time based on the speed and direction that users are traveling. The more people using the service at a given time, the more accurate the reports become.
The service is provided entirely free of charge with Google Maps, but some consumers are concerned that the information being used to track their cars could be used for other purposes. Google has added a host of privacy features to the application to assuage these fears; data is combined from multiple phones before reaching Google, making it hard to identify any one phone from another, and all of the information is anonymous in nature. In addition, users are easily able to opt out of sending their location data to Google. As a final security measure, Google’s software determines the start and end points of every trip it tracks and deletes them, so that nobody can track where a vehicle came from or where it ended up. After deletion, not even Google will have the data.
Several phones come with Google Maps pre-installed such as the Palm Pre, MyTouch 3G, and Apple’s iPhone. With such a large user base, the traffic monitoring software should quickly become a central feature of Google Maps.
Photo courtesy of dannysullivan under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Apple, Google, Google Maps, GPS, iphone, Maps, MyTouch 3G, Palm Pre
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Toyota Announces Price for Safety Connect
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Toyota has announced the annual subscription price for its new telematics system, Safety Connect. Safety Connect will first become an option on the 2010 Toyota Prius, with a one-year complementary trial of the service provided with all purchases of equipped vehicles. After the trial period has expired, a one year renewal will be available for $139.95.
Safety Connect provides a 24-hour-a-day communications link between a driver’s vehicle and the Safety Connect Response Center. Using embedded cellular and GPS technology, vehicles monitored by Safety Connect will have access to important safety features:
Automatic Collision Detection: In the event of a severe rear-end collision or deployment of the airbags, Safety Connect will notify the Response Center to contact the driver. If the driver is unable to respond, the operator will treat the call as an emergency and deploy local emergency services as needed.
Stolen Vehicle Locator: If a vehicle equipped with the system is stolen, Safety Connect can be an invaluable tool for local law enforcement to recover the vehicle. After filing a police report for the theft of the vehicle, the owner can activate the service with the Safety Connect response center. GPS transmitters are then used to determine the location of the car.
Emergency Assistance On Demand: In the event of any emergency, a driver can contact Safety Connect’s response center at the touch of a button. An operator will speak with the driver, assess the situation, and take any action that is necessary to resolve the emergency, such as contacting local emergency crews and other roadside assistance.
Safety Connect will be available on all 2010 Prius vehicles manufactured after August 1st.
On-Demand emergency assistance systems are a growing market. Is your fleet equipped to handle anything?
Tags: Automatic Collision Detection, Emergency Assistance on Demand, GPS, Prius, Safety Connect, Stolen Vehicle Locator, Toyota
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GPS Making Fleets More Efficient
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
A recent study found that companies with fleets using GPS systems have seen reductions in idle times, daily usage and fuel costs.
According to an article posted on automotive-fleet.com, the study showed organizations are installing GPS’s in company vehicles because it not only enables them to be more efficient with cost, but the system is also helping to improve customer service satisfaction rates.
On average participants reported a 25% reduction in idle times, 32% increase in fleet utilization, 22% decrease in fuel costs, 31-percent drop in daily mileage and a 23% boost in workforce productivity.
To read the full story and find out more about the study, click here.
Tags: automotive-fleet.com, fleet utilization, fuel costs, GPS, idle times, workforce productivity
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The Right Price: California Considers Pay-by-Mile Auto Insurance
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
The California Department of Insurance has introduced a bill this week to begin offering pay-by-the-mile auto insurance policies to California drivers. Under the new program, drivers would be able to select an insurance payment plan based on the number of miles they drive per month. A significant amount of money would be saved on insurance for, say, a vehicle that only makes occasional trips to a supplier a short distance away and spends most of its time sitting in a parking lot. For fleet owners, this system provides a way to keep themselves insured without overpaying for insurance on a vehicle they may very rarely use.
In addition to payment plans based on paying for a set number of miles per month, the proposed system also allows for mile-by-mile vehicle tracking at an even lower rate. The miles traveled by a vehicle would be checked by odometer inspections at various locations that are convenient to the driver’s routine, such as their local mechanic or emission center. Vehicle mileage could also be monitored by GPS devices, but don’t fear Big Brother just yet; GPS could be used to monitor a car’s mileage without relaying the vehicle’s location to the insurance company. With some drivers already hesitant to adopt GPS tracking for other purposes, this privacy clause offers reassurance that they retain the trust of their employers.
The legislation to create this system will be voted on in the next several months, and could become law shortly in the state of California. If California has any success with it, the same system could be on its way to other states across the country later this year.
Tags: Big Brother, California, California Department of Insurance, emission center, fleet owners, GPS, insurance policies, local mechanic
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