IT standard flies
Page 12
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• No sooner had we finished this week's article on the need for a common telematics interface (see page 32) than an important announcement was made; four European truck manufacturers are to adopt a common IT standard.
MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Scania and Volvo used the Transport Logistic show in Munich to announce that they have adopted a standard protocol for use in fleet management, vehicle telernatics and logistics systems.
The system, due to go live in 2002, is a long-overdue breakthrough for operators running mixed fleets. Now that four of the leading manufacturers have got together, it seems likely that the others will follow suit.
MAN and Mercedes-Benz released details of the new accord and revealed that several other transport companies would be involved. These include Khgel Trailers, DEKRA (the German vehicle testing and consultancy organisation) and TimTec Telematics.
The extension of the common interface to trailers will allow autonomous operation, even with the unit uncoupled at a terminal or on an intermodal carrier such as a train or barge. Alternatively, the tractor's on-board-electronics will be able to transmit status reports (location, mileage, temperature in the case of refrigerated vehicles) via appropriate couplings.
The new protocol borrows from systems such as DainierChrysler's IleetBoard" (now incorporating technology from the UK's YeMIS system)and Volvo's "Dynafieet".