Navman to launch next-gen GPS unit

Navman Wireless has released its Qube 4 GPS fleet tracking unit.

The company has partnered with Telstra to bring its next-generation tracking solution to the Australian market enabling fleet managers to accurately track, locate and respond to drivers.

The unit is said to be the only Telstra Next G Network-approved GPS fleet management solution and it can be billed directly through Telstra.

The unit enables fleet managers to proactively manage and monitor driver behaviour, allowing them greater visibility to make critical business decisions.

Geofence ‘over speed’ is a feature to the unit, providing managers with insight into driving behaviour and the ability to remedy unsafe driving practices in real time. A speed limit can be set against each geofence and, in cases where drivers exceed the speed limit, an alert is instantly sent to both the driver and the dispatcher.

The unit allows users to set up to 600 geofences with up to 50 vertices or boundary points in each, allowing managers to set many geofences with a greater definition of the area of importance.

“Compliance with Work, Health & Safety (WH&S) is becoming increasingly important across all organisations, and having the technology to help businesses monitor and manage safety, especially for mobile workers, is critical,” said Ian Daniel, vice president of APAC for Navman Wireless.

“Thanks to our partnership with Telstra, our customers have access to Telstra’s Next G Network, making real-time communication and alerts between the vehicle and fleet managers the fastest of any other on the market.”

The alerts calendar feature available via OnlineAVL2 is specifically designed to help managers monitor and remedy non-desirable driving behaviour such as excessive idling and unauthorised use of vehicles, all in real time.

Being able to set up alerts and get notified when any of these breaches occur is key to instigate the necessary changes in driving behaviour.

Moreover, setting up alerts for excessive idling and over speeding also contribute to compliance with the WH&S, therefore ensuring drivers’ safety. The idle alert will send a notification to the manager whenever a vehicle has been in idle mode for too long, which could potentially be due to the driver being in a situation where he needs urgent assistance.

“In emergency situations, where time and distance can be life threatening, quick response time is of utmost importance in ensuring driver safety,” said Daniel.

“The real-time, fast data sharing capability of Qube 4 allows managers to provide a safer workplace for their staff.”

For businesses that operate in remote locations where Next G coverage may be limited, a satellite communications device can be added to the unit to allow connectivity via the Iridium Satellite Communications network. The device primarily connects with the Next G Network and switches to sat comms for predetermined events as vehicles move outside normal coverage zones.

“Fleet managers can set criteria for predetermined events over satellite communications to more effectively manage the costs associated with using this service” said Daniel.

“The satellite functionality will be particularly beneficial for industries operating in remote locations, like mining. Qube 4 will also capture and hold all events not set for sat comms while outside Next G coverage zones, sending only predetermined events so managers can maintain contact with drivers at all times ensuring they are safe.”

The modem in the satellite communications device is manufactured by Quake Global.  The modem provides uses with a fast message-sharing capability on either Telstra Next G or Iridium Satellite Communications Network via short burst data.