Telematics company Euclidic has warned that some transport operators and companies are not getting the most out of their telematics systems and that some ‘comply with the regulations and tick the compliance box’ but then ignore the telematics.
Chris Witt, CEO of telematics technology developer, Euclidic Systems, said the technology is gold-standard, with the latest data around every business imperative, from environmental impacts to customer service, but often it’s just left in a drawer with companies investing in the latest technology to comply with the regulations and tick the compliance box, then it’s ignored.
“There’s little monitoring, management or training, which is exactly what the technology is designed to encourage,” said Witt.
“Companies are wasting money on their fleets and drivers, but ultimately the end customers are missing out,” he said.
“The benefits of using the technology are potentially life-saving – fewer accidents, improved safety, driver and passenger protection, reduced fuel consumption, maintenance and servicing make the case for less damage to the environment and the bottom line,” he added
Witt believes a careless or uninformed approach to technology is the bane of any business. It can often be put down to data fatigue or simply that the department purchasing the technology is distant from the department using the technology.
Euclidic says telematics technology produces myriad data variables to monitor live and historical journeys, as well as location information integrated with Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) and National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) compliance systems.
The company says real-time alerts can track maintenance requirements, harsh braking, dangerous cornering, idling time, seat belt-use and rest breaks and that remote disable systems track portable assets such as containers, trailers and cargo.
The company highlighted that there are approximately 19.5 million vehicles on Australian roads, and around four million of those are commercial vehicles with about 624,000 being heavy duty vehicles.
With the number of commercial vehicles on our road up 16.4 per cent in the last five years comes higher fuel consumption, more fatalities, crashes and poor driving, with heavy vehicles disproportionately involved in casualty crashes Euclidic claims.
Telematics – telecommunications and informatics systems, is one solution that can go a long way to mitigating the issues on our roads and in helping to improve driver behaviour.
This is supported by studies from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), which shows that a one kilometre per hour reduction in speed leads to a three per cent drop in accidents according to Euclidic.
“Employers should have business practices, training, procedures and review processes in place and regulators can only do so much,” according to Euclidic.
The company emphasises that under National Heavy Vehicle Law an employer’s obligation is ‘to eliminate or minimise potential harm or loss by doing all that is reasonably practicable to ensure safety’ and under Work Health and Safety laws, covering light commercial vehicles, the aim is to ‘secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces’.
Regulators provide a framework and step in only after an incident. Their mandate doesn’t cover commercial outcomes, the customer experience or environmental impacts.
“Savvy businesses and fleet owners, getting the jump on their competition, are making the most of a partnership with Euclidic Systems. By installing the Euclidic telematics system, for the equivalent cost of a few litres of fuel a day, there can be an overall saving of 10 to 15 per cent on fuel costs alone.
“One of the features included is Data-as-a-Service (DaaS), to increase driver accountability and reduce running costs, while helping the environment. Above all else, is the incalculable worth of improved driver, passengers and public safety,” added Witt.
Euclidic Systems was founded in 2015 through start-up business Plantcom. Today, Euclidic has a technology partnership with its strategic investor partner, Intelematics Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal Automobile Club Victoria (RACV).
The company may be new, but it’s made up of seasoned veterans, who have all been at the forefront of vehicle-tracking systems since their emergence in the late 1990s. Euclidic has developed proprietary technology that streams and analyses telematics data for on-road and off-road assets imncluding Sat Trakka, a 4G and satellite-tracker for assets ‘off-the-beaten-track’ as well as geo-fencing systems to monitor on and off-road assets.
