Fleet Observer underlines tracking .....

07 January 2008, 7:50am

Fleet Observer underlines tracking credentials with detailed street-level mapping

"Using the NAVTEQ street-level mapping supplied by MapMechanics, Fleet Observer's Web-based screens are able to show the location of tracked vehicles with a high degree of precision on named roads. Hovering the mouse over a location displays details about the address and the vehicle."

Map data package from MapMechanics enhances presentation, adds reverse geocoding

Underpinning the launch this year of Fleet Observer, a new brand name in vehicle and personal tracking and location, the company behind it has switched to a more detailed form of on-screen location mapping from MapMechanics, its long-time map data supplier, and has augmented the data with new mapping for the United States and Australia.

Fleet Observer (www.fleetobserver.co.uk) was known previously as Three Counties Management Services, or 3CMS, and is one of Britain’s longest-established vehicle tracking and telematics specialists. The team behind it were instrumental in developing the Datatrak network in the early 1990s, and then ten years ago went on to set up their own tracking business, which now has an extensive customer base both in the UK and overseas.

The Fleet Observer name has now been adopted to identify the company more closely with its tracking and telematics products. Meanwhile, the new mapping has been introduced to add more detail to its map displays and more power to the location plotting process behind them. “We needed a product that was accurate down to street level, and included detail such as street names,” says managing director and founder Tim Ryland.

The mapping supplied by MapMechanics is NAVTEQ’s street-level vector data for Britain and Northern Ireland, which allows Fleet Observer’s tracking screens to display the location of tracked assets with a high degree of precision. Since even its standard service includes updates as frequently as every two minutes, it was considered essential to be able to show each instance accurately and convincingly on the road network.

Using NAVTEQ data has also provided the opportunity for the company to add mapping more easily for foreign locations where its systems are now sold. “NAVTEQ data follows a similar format across the world,” says Tim Ryland, “so we don’t have to adopt different strategies for each location.” Alongside Australia and America, other places where Fleet Observer systems are sold include Singapore and Jamaica.

Fleet Observer is also using the NAVTEQ data in another way. Its standard report formats include provision to show the street addresses of tracked assets – ideal, for instance, in managing “watch boxes” (places checked for arrivals and departures) and in congestion zone monitoring. Reverse geocoding is used to work out addresses from the NAVTEQ data from the coordinates supplied by the tracking system.

The Fleet Observer tracking system is entirely Web-based, and was one of the first tracking systems to move to this operational model. Users can log on from any suitable Web-enabled computer and track their vehicles or assets via a standard Web browser. Features include geofencing, driver message alerting and distance monitoring,

It is a systems-focused product, and works with any compatible on-board hardware. This can include a basic GPS-GPRS module, which is usually installed covertly to allow stolen vehicle tracking in the event of theft; and a range of driver interface devices such as a PDA or an in-cab computer such as one from the Dilupe range.

There are also interfaces to allow direct connection with navigation systems such as TomTom and signature capture via a suitable touch-screen device.

Fleet Observer also supplies a personal tracking and SOS alerting system, which Tim Ryland says is proving increasingly popular and employers address the requirements of health and safety and duty of care legislation.

The company markets its products entirely through resellers such as Weighsoft in the UK and Armada in the United States – usually on a “white label” basis (in which the reseller uses its own branding). Fleet Observer itself concentrates on software development and hosting, and one of its strong selling points is its ability to create custom reporting and other bespoke features to suit the needs of individual customers.

User-companies range in size from small van fleet operators with just a handful of vehicles to large haulage and tipper lorry operators with hundreds of vehicles. The system is also used to track trailers, construction plant, machinery and other mobile assets.

www.mapmechanics.com

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