Bus travel in Australia and New Zealand is entering a new era of precision and efficiency with an innovative called Turn By Turn Bus Navigation System, which has been delivered by NEC Australia, in collaboration with HERE Technologies, a location data and technology platform.
This new system according to NEC, addresses both common and complex navigational challenges, empowering bus operators and drivers to deliver safer, more reliable bus journeys for commuters.
The company claims that this navigation solution significantly reduces driver training time, streamlines onboarding, and improves both driver retention and operational safety.
It says it has been specifically designed to meet the specific requirements of bus operators, the purpose-built system takes into account bus dimensions like length and height, allowing operators to input and update routes in real time. The company said that this ensures adaptability to changes in road rules, routes, and restrictions, minimising wrong turns and route deviations.
NEC said that currently, the Turn By Turn Navigation system is being rolled out in over 1,000 buses across Australia and New Zealand.
Sachin Thukral, head of partner and alliances of Asia Pacific at HERE Technologies said that Australia’s diverse and complex road networks require precise and adaptable navigation solutions.
“By working closely with NEC Australia on the Turn By Turn Bus Navigation System, we’re bringing HERE’s expertise in location technology to the forefront, enabling bus operators to navigate these complexities with greater confidence and accuracy,” Thukral said.
“This collaboration is more than just about improving routes – it’s about enhancing the overall efficiency and safety of public transport across Australia, ensuring that both drivers and passengers experience smoother and more reliable journeys every day.”
NEC’s head of smart transport ANZ and global centre of excellence Lead, Mark Messenger, commented on the impact of the Turn By Turn Bus Navigation system, saying that bus operators often grapple with driver shortages, drivers needing to memorise complex routes, and costly errors occurring when drivers accidentally take unknown routes and find themselves in situations where vehicles are unable to safely navigate those routes.
“These issues can significantly jeopardise safety, on-time performance and customer satisfaction,” Messenger said.
“The Turn By Turn system directly addresses these challenges by providing enhanced driver support, improving on-time performance, reducing operational errors, and providing safer, more efficient services to customers. This innovation not only makes journeys safer and more efficient for drivers, but also delivers better outcomes for transport authorities and operators, and ultimately, commuters,” he added.
The company said that the key benefits of the solution include, customised navigation which allows the system to offer fixed or portable navigation devices tailored to the unique dimensions of buses, ensuring drivers avoid routes unsuitable for large vehicles.
NEC said that this dynamically plots and sends safe routes, detours and diversions to drivers, providing quick updates that minimise wrong turns and route deviations.
It also claims that it offers improved driver support, with the system identifying and integrating critical data, such as on-time points and thresholds, restricted roads, and speed restricted areas such as school zones. The claim is that this significantly reduces driver training time, helps attract top-tier drivers and improves driver retention, ultimately reducing service cancellations and operational failures.
As well as this NEC claims the Turn By Turn system keeps buses on schedule, ensuring timely arrivals and departures by boosting operational efficiency, and monitoring bus speeds and delays with alerts, with this focus on punctuality enhancing customer satisfaction and reduces complaints.
Finally NEC claims the enablement for emergency services feature goes beyond public transit, by making the technology critical for emergency services, providing real-time information that helps emergency vehicles reach their destinations more quickly and efficiently, as well as improving response times and safety in critical situations.
NEC says it has made significant investments in developing AI-driven solutions as part of its mobility platform, while partnering with leading global solutions providers like HERE Technologies, a pioneer in mapping and location technology for almost 40 years to drive innovation in smart transport solutions.
