ZF Services presents telematics platform for truck and bus fleets at transport logistic trade fair in Munich

• ZF Services showcases telematics solution for truck and bus fleets at transport logistic in Munich
• Greater efficiency and safety
• Open platform also for third-party providers

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, 8-5-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — Connectivity, networking, and Industry 4.0 are being discussed in nearly all industries. The ‘Internet of Things’ is also becoming a reality in the automotive industry. This does not only entail autonomous driving. Increasing networking will lead to dramatic changes in all areas. Openmatics enables fleet operators to take advantage of this trend. ZF Services will be showcasing the telematics platform at the transport logistic trade fair in Munich (Hall B2, Stand 509).

ZF Services ensures that the systems expertise of ZF Friedrichshafen AG is carried forward consistently into the aftermarket. With integrated solutions for the entire driveline and chassis system and the complete ZF product portfolio, the business unit guarantees the performance and efficiency of vehicles throughout their life cycle. The range of customers includes not only wholesale dealers and vehicle manufacturers, but also fleet operators, forwarding companies, and public transport operators. They benefit from calculable operating costs over the entire life cycle of their vehicles.

With Openmatics, the Aftermarket business unit offers an open telematics platform that is independent of industries, vehicle manufacturers, and component makers. From May 5 to 8, fleet operators can find out about the advantages offered by Openmatics at the transport logistic trade fair in Munich (Hall B2, Stand 509).

Numerous advantages of the open telematics platform

Users of the Openmatics telematics platform benefit from increased efficiency for their fleet vehicles thanks to a smooth exchange of information between scheduler, driver, and the vehicle. The highlight of the web-based Openmatics platform is that it can be individually extended to include additional apps and that third-party suppliers – as is common with smartphone applications – are permitted to develop their own apps and offer them on the open Openmatics platform.

The telematics platform is based on the “Bach” hardware on-board unit which records data that can be made available to the driver via a display. The compact device with three processors is quick to install. Firmware upgrades, apps, and configurations are installed while the system is online in order to avoid downtimes.

Individual extension possibilities

Basic functions such as vehicle location and tour monitoring are included in the basic package. Additional tools that are already available today increase efficiency and optimize vehicle utilization:

• FUEL OVERVIEW identifies fleet vehicles with high fuel consumption and determines the potential for reduction.
• PROFI DRIVER is a tool that analyzes the driving style, enabling continuous improvement for enhanced comfort, safety, and lower operating costs.
• ORDER+ increases vehicle utilization and reduces communication costs by assigning new orders directly to the driver and communicating the order status to the scheduler. Thanks to open interfaces, it can be connected to many TMS systems.
• DIGITACHO DOWNLOAD triggers an automatic download of driver and mass data, eliminating time-consuming manual downloads.
• DRIVING TIMES monitors compliance with statutory driving and rest times and incorporates all legal requirements into the planning process.

Openmatics is a platform that is continuously developed by ZF Services, guaranteeing its users comfort, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. In addition, the software development kit enables not only third-party suppliers but also enables fleet operators to program their own apps. Every fleet can thus create its own tailor-made telematics package in a cost-efficient way. Also, security is ensured as every app is checked by Openmatics before it is released.

Experience from practice – live at the trade fair

As a special trade fair offer at transport logistic in Munich, those who are interested can get direct feedback about Openmatics tested in practice. Users of the innovative telematics platform will speak about Openmatics in the day-to-day fleet management of forwarding companies in Hall B2, Stand 509.

For Thomas Rösch, CEO of Openmatics, the provision of telematics services is a logical step in ZF Services’ development from a parts supplier to a provider of system solutions: “We ensure that our customers can use trendsetting technologies, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), safely and efficiently. Thanks to short response times, a long range, and low energy consumption potential applications are virtually limitless. It is especially the forwarding companies using our system that benefit from the optimization of the commissioning process and thus the enhanced efficiency of the entire supply chain achieved through our BLE services. With Openmatics, ZF Services creates real added value for the customer.”

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