Maintain Fleet Management Solutions Using Wide Area Wireless Technology

Transcription

1 Maintain Fleet Management Solutions Using Wide Area Wireless Technology Andreas Kohn Sierra Wireless, Inc. August,

2 Introduction Wireless technology can provide a competitive advantage in today s Fleet Management Service (FMS) market and it is used in a variety of fleet applications including asset monitoring and vehicle tracking. Fleet operators are continually looking to implement simple and low cost solutions to improve efficiencies, and provide the most seamless option to stay connected to their fleets when on the road. Wide area wireless connectivity coupled with network connectivity and built in onboard units enables efficient fleet management and tracking. According to ABI research, there will be eight million onboard units with embedded cellular wireless technology installed in 2010 with a steady growth rate of approximately 20% per year. But connected devices can have their own challenges and network operators, system integrators and M2M solution providers need tools and ready-to-use services to effectively manage connected devices, and reduce complexity, costs and risk while developing, deploying and maintaining devices in the field. This white paper will address what is needed for fast and cost effective development, deployment and maintenance of a successful fleet management solution and how Sierra Wireless technology supports these deployments. Fleet Management Solutions (FMS) The term Fleet management is used to describe a wide range of solutions for different vehicle-related applications. Within this document, Sierra Wireless defines Fleet Management Solutions (FMS) as a system designed for commercial or private vehicles, trailers or similar vehicles that incorporates data logging, satellite positioning and data communication to a back-office application. Within this definition we note the following areas of Fleet Management Solutions: Fleet management (trucking, local delivery, service fleets, utulity companies, taxis, rental vehicles, public transit, school buses, emergency service vehicles, heavy equipment, etc.) Container/Trailer tracking User based insurance (Pay as you drive) Stolen Vehicle Recovery / Tracking Track and Trace Driver Behavior Metrics Fleet Management systems allow companies that rely on transportation in their business to remove or minimize the risks associated with vehicle investment, improving efficiency, productivity and reducing their overall transportation costs. Fleet management can include vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics (tracking and diagnostics), driver management, fuel management and health and safety management. Advanced fleet management systems can easily connect to the vehicle s onboard computer, and gather data for the user. Data collected can vary and can include details such as mileage, fuel consumption, and much more, which are then gathered into a global statistics scheme. 2

3 Services are unique but they are all based on a very similar architecture as shown in the diagram below: Asset An onboard unit (OBU) is installed in an asset such as a truck, trailer, container, or passenger car and is either connected to the vehicle via the vehicle diagnostic port or is a standalone unit. The OBU typically hosts a processing unit, positioning technology (e.g. GPS) and a wireless module to connect via the cellular network to a central server. The server includes the hosted machine to machine (M2M) service platform and securely stores all relevant data. The end customer (the fleet manager) can manage the asset via an API or/and web interface from anywhere with internet connectivity. In addition, the service provider (or the fleet manager) can manage the onboard unit and the subscription to the network provider. Ideally that is all integrated into one M2M service platform. Onboard Unit (OBU) In existing solutions hundreds of different OBUs are optimized. For instance, GPS is not always integrated, due to some applications (e.g. Usage Based Insurance ) having privacy concerns. In other specialty applications, like stolen vehicle recovery or trailer tracking, a backup battery is an important feature, while other applications require easy installation and a built in integrated antenna (which is more cost effective but requires good reception quality of the GPS and cellular signals). OBUs are connected to the vehicle bus system to retrieve relevant data such as vehicle speed or temperature (e.g. for food transportation) while other onboard units are standalone and have no communication with the vehicle. The common feature for most modern fleet management systems is a cellular connection linking the asset back-office applications to transmit data whenever and wherever it is needed. If there is a need for an OBU for a fleet management system the user has two choices: take an existing box off the shelf such as a Sierra Wireless AirLink TM intelligent gateway or, design your own box with an embedded cellular module. When using an off the shelve device key considerations should include: How much intelligence do I need in my OBU? Can I build my own solution and acquire a box and applications from third parties? Do I have to have it approved by my mobile network operator? Is there a less risky and faster way to get me to market quickly? Does the device provide comprehensive remote configuration and control capabilities which are already built in? 3

4 Does the device have an intelligent operating system that enables seamless integration and installation for faster time to market? Does the device have a standard Application Programming Interface (API) to enable third party applications to easily and deeply integrate with the device and enable features such as GPS location, events reporting? Does the quality of the design meet my requirements? Are the devices designed and tested to meet the needs of enterprise and industrial applications or even automotive applications? Does the device have adequate connectivity options for my application? Is there a full I/O port to enable tracking vehicle sensors? Are the additional connection options to communicate with peripheral equipment in the vehicle (e.g. MDTs, laptops, printers, cameras)? When starting to develop a new OBU it is critical to select proven industry components which are pre-certified by the network operator and provide open integration with other components: i.e. the wireless module for cellular connectivity and the GNSS module for positioning data. For GNSS (mainly GPS) the latest technology is currently coming from the world leader in GPS called CSR with its SirfStarIV technology. In order to drive down system costs you can use the Tracker version where the GPS software runs on a host system (like a cellular module). As an example the Sierra Wireless AirPrime TM XM0110 GPS module is based on such technology. In many cases you do not need a separate application controller since up to date cellular modules provide comprehensive open platforms capable of supporting your application environment. Modules should be selected with an embedded platform within an integrated development environment in order to develop, compile, download, test and debug application software. The device or application should not be over engineered with additional services that are not needed in future operations. It is more important to provide an open connected platform allowing you to add the necessary components/peripherals once they are actually required. In the GSM world of cellular technology a SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) from the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) is required for a connection to the cellular module which is installed in the OBU. Today you have the choice between a standard plastic SIM from mobile phones and a SIM chip (called SON-8) that can be soldered directly to your PCB. A standard plastic SIM together with the SIM card holder is often the reason for faulty behavior and the SIM card holder adds costs. If you are designing an up to date solution that needs to be reliable in harsh environments (high temperature, vibration) you should consider using a SIM chip which is soldered to the PCB. This solution ensures a SIM card cannot be stolen. 4

5 Embedded module suppliers such as Sierra Wireless can include SIM chips and simplify logistics, production and testing, and provide a one stop shop solution for your integrated cellular communication needs. Alternately, it is possible to switch to an external SIM (when present) whatever the form factor without any additional components a feature unique to Sierra Wireless modules. Connectivity Network To support business critical applications, fleet management solutions must maintain a reliable connection at all times and, for most organizations a global connectivity solution is essential. When choosing a fleet management solution supplier companies should consider the following: The supplier shall provide the most reliable and secure connectivity solution for global deployment requirements The supplier shall have strong experience dealing with M2M applications with a good track record of references Existing and future deployments shall be easy with embedded SIM capability, and SIM control tools and platforms in order to activate and monitor devices over-the-air Fleet management solutions shall be rugged by using the standard component SIM (SON8) and cost effective for dedicated M2M applications Data tariffs shall be in line with business case expectations providing enough flexibility to ensure return on investment while keeping customers happy M2M Service Platform The M2M service platform should be based on a very secure infrastructure with no risk of losing important data and the service platform should be hosted at well recognized data centers with a dedicated firewall. The architecture of the M2M platform and the underlying data center should be scalable in order to easily adapt it to any future needs and maximize initial investment. You should know and understand the pros and cons if the M2M Platform is based on any propriety database. After being hosted in a secure manner a M2M Service platform should be open and expandable in order to easily add new services. The platform has to be capable of evolving with your organization s needs. The platform has to connect to the OBUs in the field in a robust, reliable way. Ask the M2M Service platform provider about its experience in this field. In order to have a robust, standard and reusable solution the complete communication protocol on the OBU and on the M2M Service Platform should come from one provider. One convenient way is to use an embedded agent which can be complex to develop for a mobile environment and ideally can be embedded in the wireless module or already part of the module. Device security should be a priority. Suppliers should be able to address questions about one-timepasswords (RSSA key), mutual authentication, software signature, and recovery mechanism. The M2M Service platform should enable data to be logged, events to be managed and onboard units in vehicles to be managed. A key consideration is the ability to remotely configure network preferences including preferred operators and options including alarm and echo cancellation. As well, remote updates of software in onboard units 5

6 allow fleet managers to reduce costs and increase efficiency by reducing the need to send individual vehicles to service shops for software and service upgrades and enhancements. Finally, the ability to activate or deactivate the SIM card should also ideally be integrated in the M2M Service Platform. To summarize, you should look for a solution that offers remote asset management, easy device communication and subscription management, ideally in one single solution: Conclusion There are many considerations for a complete and long term fleet management solution. Field proven technologies should be taken from suppliers with extensive experience in the field that help fleets and fleet managers reduce risk and development time and bring a stable and maintainable FMS solution to market on time and on budget. 6