Zonar has added fuel as a “fifth dimension” to its HD-GPS reporting telematics platforms. The company’s systems have long used latitude, longitude, time and odometer in their GPS reporting to capture data and transmit it when it needs to be rather on a pre-established time cycle.
The addition of fuel as a fifth dimension will allow those same platforms to determine sample rates based on geographical data as well as fuel consumption.
“Our unique sampling methodology accounts for route and driving changes. For example, if a vehicle is driving in the city with frequent stops and turns, the computer samples much more frequently than if the vehicle is running down a long straight highway,” said Mike McQuade, chief technical officer.
The patent-pending technology provides managers with details on the most and least fuel-efficient routes and lanes. Zonar said that the GPS sampling density increases when fuel consumption increases or “spikes” and relaxes when fuel consumption decreases or is relatively static.
“Fuel is the number-one variable cost for fleets. Incremental decreases in fuel consumption can greatly impact the bottom line,” said McQuade. “With our telematics platforms, fleets improve their ability to measure fuel consumption and that information is coupled with a litany of other essential data elements including speed, vehicle health, and load to name a few.”
In addition to five-dimensional data sampling, the telematics platforms transmit engine fault codes and verified electronic vehicle inspection data in real-time to help maintenance personnel remotely diagnose vehicles in the case of a malfunction.
The platforms also capture real-time driver performance metrics includes acceleration, hard braking events, excessive idling, anti-lock brake system activation, and roll stability control activation.
All of the data captured is available instantly through Zonar’s secure, web-based Ground Traffic Control (GTC) fleet management portal. GTC records, reports, and sends alerts via text message, email, and screen pop-ups based on the data.
