Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/599520
At this point the indepen- dent aftermarket is out of the loop. Jain says there is applica- tion program interface (API) technology available today to allow telematics providers to transfer data to independent service provider systems. He says both dealer and indepen- dent service facilities are the logical next step for the pro- liferation of telematics data. The reason only the former is seeing the fruits of this technology isn't an industry bias or preference, it's simple economics. Jain says heavy- duty OEMs have fi nancially committed to telematics. They've allocated funds to analyzing data as a way to help customers. "I think OEMs are going to continue to add more to what they provide," adds Riemer. "I think they understand to drive uptime they need to do more from a predictive perspective. They need to be thinking ahead for their customers. They recognize that and are moving in that direction." The independent after- market hasn't yet done the same. The recently signed heavy-duty access to vehicle information Memorandum of Understanding offers the independent aftermarket a substantial amount of propri- etary vehicle system informa- tion, but lacks any guidance regarding telematics. Commercial Vehicle Right to Repair Coalition leaders said OEMs showed a willing- ness to tackle telematics at a future date when the MOU was confi rmed, but a time- line for those discussions is unknown. In the meantime vehicle owner reliance on telematics shows no sign of slowdown. Powell says he believes fl eets who understand the po- tential of telematics will only continue to leverage the tech- nology in relationships with suppliers. That will include an expectation from OEMs to offer data analysis, prognos- tics and an open channel of maintenance information to all service providers. Offering the latter at cost to the independent aftermar- ket seems the most logical and benefi cial solution for the industry, Riemer says. "Information sharing is valuable for everyone in the ecosystem," he says. And now that the technol- ogy is available, Fortuna says it isn't going away. "Telematics is now a data transport for a lot of things going on within the vehicle, and as time goes by I think the line between telematics and the functionalities [such as maintenance] it enables will become even blurrier," he says. "In the future, the idea that a vehicle wouldn't be connected with telematics will just be weird." The type of telematics systems installed in today's trucks vary depending on the data collected and needs of the vehicle owner. etary vehicle system informa- Commercial Vehicle Right said OEMs showed a willing- ness to tackle telematics at a The type of telematics systems installed in today's trucks vary depending on the data collected and needs of the vehicle owner. Logistics and asset management remain a key driver for telematics systems in today's commercial trucking marketplace. Cover Story 19 W W W . T R U C K P A R T S A N D S E R V I C E . C O M N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 5 | T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E