JULY-AUGUST, 2017 9logisticstechoutlook.comjust one or two. This enables fleets to convert "proactive" maintenance campaigns into more-precise, "predictive" maintenance that can save even medium-sized fleets hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.Still newer apps allow vehicle data to be remotely fed into service facilities' systems so that when a truck driver arrives to have his or her vehicle serviced, the service technician already knows what the problem is, and has ordered the parts to fix it. Advance diagnostics can even link to "smart repair routing systems," sending drivers to a truck service facility that not only has the right part needed to repair a vehicle but also the right technical expertise and available service bays.Improving Truck Safety and ProductivityAdditional innovations deliver more than enhanced truck reliability alone, yielding advanced productivity for truckers and the shippers they serve. "Over-the-air programming," for example, "reflashes" engine control modules remotely, using a safe, secure WiFi connection--thus removing the need to take your vehicles to a dealer or local maintenance location for this purpose. "Situational" data about a truck's environment, such as temperature, humidity, altitude, barometric pressure and others, can also yield critical benefits for safety and productivity. For example, when fleet managers are alerted that the outdoor temperature where the truck is driving is dipping below 32 degrees, they may infer from telematics data that black ice is present because the truck's differential is slipping, prompting them to steer trucks away from that stretch of road. Meanwhile, "social data" shared by drivers, including route information, traffic pattern data or truck stops' customer ratings, will increasingly send truckers on smart routes that will deliver shippers' goods to their destinations more quickly. Making the Trucking Industry More CompetitiveThe data from other new apps connected to universal telematics devices can help address imbalances in trucking industry economics that are especially affecting small fleets and owner-operators--and collectively reducing the industry's efficiency. For example, fewer than 30 percent of small fleets currently have access to telematics, compared with over 80 percent of large fleets, making these small fleets less competitive. Fortunately, universal telematics devices like OnCommand® Connection Link 2, which can plug into trucks' service ports and accommodate multiple apps via connection to a mobile device such as a phone or tablet, are likely to provide a more cost-effective telematics solution, and thus remove a major barrier to telematics' use by smaller players. And by creating a "level playing field" in which all truckers have access to similar technology tools, this telematics-based system will greatly enhance shippers' overall productivity. Building on such hardware devices are open-architecture technology platforms such as OnCommand® Connection Marketplace, which offer third-party developers a channel for reaching multiple makes of vehicle. Other productivity apps likely to be delivered via such telematics platforms will make it easier for small truckers to find loads or allow them to aggregate their purchasing power for fuel, tires and other common needs. This, too, may help small operators become more competitive, along with the shippers they serve.Future apps being fed by universal telematics devices will also make the trucking industry as a whole more efficient by improving traffic flow. As the Internet of Things progresses, sensors will increasingly gather and share robust streams of data not just from trucks but also from roads, traffic signs, and other infrastructure elements. New apps will also take greater advantage of connections between one truck and another, or between all trucks and the highway system. As Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) connections become a bigger factor, highways' traffic will be increasingly optimized. Tomorrow's trucks will be more "connected" than ever before. As apps and analytics convert growing streams of operating data into actionable insights, the entire logistics ecosystem will benefit. New solutions of all kinds, delivered through the diagnostics service port which was previously telematics' exclusive domain, will increasingly make it possible for drivers, fleets and shippers to connect more easily and find common technology solutions to their shared issues. The data from other new apps connected to universal telematics devices can help address imbalances in trucking industry economics
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