ICanProve.IT: Interpres
Many fleet vehicles are fitted with existing ‘unsmart’ technology. These units/sensors may report to the driver or record data, but are not connected to the Internet.
Now, with Interpres (latin for translator), you have access to another dimension in data. In simple terms, we take stand-alone on-board monitors and we convert the output to a digital format. This digital output then routes through our systems.
Now all of your existing on-board sensors can report in real-time to any depot or office you like. And, when any agreed condition is met (or over-reached), alerts are sent not only on-board, but also to the appropriate managers, by SMS and/or email. All data are collated and analysed for trends over time or location. And we can link these data to driver and vehicle profiles.
Take the example of on-board axle-weight sensors
Many working vehicles have axle-load monitors already fitted. They measure the load on each axle and alert the driver if over-loaded, or if the load-distribution is uneven. The driver is then expected to respond to the alert and fix the issue.
Overloaded vehicles are dangerous; they are less stable, harder to stop and steer. Overloading voids insurance, and massively increases wear and tear, not to mention the fuel use. There have been occasions where overloading has led to incidents and, tragically, people have been hurt.
Despite these systems being fitted, overloading remains an intractable systemic problem for some fleets, and it can be hard to understand why.
The impact of installing Interpres
Interpres acts as an interpreter – an all-in-one translator and communicator – a device that:
- connects your on-board weight monitor to the internet,
- translates the data into a digital signal,
- sends an alert to the compliance manager if safe conditions are exceeded,
- logs and tracks all infringements by vehicle/driver, over time/location.
This information allows you to understand the reasons behind what can, on the surface, appear to be a problem of driver behaviour.
For example, if one route is particularly prone to overloading, do you need to reassign vehicles with higher weight tolerances to this route? If the rear axle is constantly overloaded, can you fix some internal storage to encourage even loading? Or is there some problem with regular unloading?
Our system works
Axle-load monitors from RedForge (despite the company going into administration, there are still many active deployments), Axtec and VWS integrate well with our online reporting platforms, and the alert system is reliable and effective. Each alert includes a link to access a live-view stream from the lenses on your vehicle, (where deployed alongside our own Videmus camera systems) to aid your understanding.