Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/759228
54 commercial carrier journal | december 2016 COVER STORY: BEYOND THE SPEED LIMITER e SafeSpeed application delivers SpeedGauge's location-spe- cific speed limit data to the Magtec system, which then adjusts the throttle signal to the ECM to limit the vehicle's top speed. is approach enables a smooth and gradual throttle reduction as a driver approaches the upper speed threshold, says Mitch Morisset, vice president of Magtec. With the connected speed limiter technology, fleets automat- ically can enforce speed policies since the vehicle's maximum speed is adjusted according to local posted speed limits. e system can be configured to tolerate thresholds, such as allowing drivers a 5 mph leeway past the posted speed limit. e device also has a "quick override" button designed to give a driver a two-minute window to exceed the location-based speed limit up to the vehicle's maximum allowable speed. Drivers may need to use the override option to pass a slower vehicle, but the system tracks their usage and reports it to fleet management, says Jonathan Hubbard, chief execu- tive of SpeedGauge. e companies tested SafeSpeed with two carriers and now offer the product commercially. "e biggest feedback we got from carriers is that it really helps them improve their Compliance Safety Accountability scores," Hubbard says. The Internet of Things Compared to only a few years ago, today's mobile fleet man- agement platforms have a much broader set of safety and performance features. is expansion is due mostly to the options to use Internet of ings technologies that include wearable devices. Today's IoT systems are able to interact with drivers automat- ically when risky behaviors occur, such as when they exceed posted speed limits or become distracted and fatigued. Maven Machines' mobile fleet management system uses a high-quality Bluetooth headset for hands-free communication. e headset is paired with the Maven Co-Pilot app that resides on smartphones or tablets and has connectivity to the company's cloud-based soware platform. Drivers can use the headset to make phone calls, listen to music or receive voice commands from their navigation apps. However, the headset's safety benefit is not limited to hands-free connectivity. Inside the headset are sensors that detect subtle head move- ments as drivers look side to side at mirrors, down at gauges or at objects inside and around their vehicles. e app's sensors and algorithms also can detect head bobs, or a lack of movement, that may provide early signs of drowsiness or fatigue. Maven Co-Pilot gives drivers feedback on their safe driving and alertness via a Maven Score that indicates if they are check- ing their mirrors in a timely manner, following the speed limit and more. For speed management, fleets can set a top speed threshold. rough an integration partnership with SpeedGauge, the Ma- ven Co-Pilot app can receive real-time updates for location-spe- cific speed limits. If drivers exceed speed limits, they receive an audible alert through the headset. "Drivers hear what they need to hear and keep moving on to do their job," says Craig Campbell, Maven's vice president of sales and marketing. Maven's analysis of speed data gathered from fleets show that: • Heavy-duty trucks operate at highway speeds (55 mph or higher) 77 percent of the time and travel at 70 mph or more 25 percent of the time. • Trucks driving 55-59 mph are the safest, as defined by the least number of hard brakes and most attentive driver behavior. • e majority of hard braking incidents occur at operating speeds below 50 mph. • Across the 55-70 mph highway speed categories, hard brak- ing likelihood is nearly constant but accounts for just 11 percent of total brake events. • When trucks are traveling between 60 and 74.9 mph, the data does not show a drop in safety, and driver alertness is not notably different. Changing behaviors Technology also can help drivers change behaviors that may im- pact speeding. A number of gamification systems integrate with mobile devices to provide drivers with automated feedback that includes easy-to-understand scores and competitions to earn rewards and recognition. Vnomics designed its fleet management platform to pro- vide distinct audible tones when drivers exceed fleet-estab- lished thresholds for top speed and rpms. Drivers also receive a daily score that shows their fuel Maven Machines uses a wearable device to send audible alerts to drivers and detect alertness.