Telematics for all

It remains one of the big questions on the road to climate neutrality: is the range of electrically powered commercial vehicles practical? There is a cure for this still widespread “range anxiety”: transparency. In the 7.5-tonne BAX, the battery lasts up to a real 200 kilometres. The current residual value is shown by the integrated telematics: the new e-truck brand from Germany, which was developed by BPW together with Paul Nutzfahrzeuge, relies on telematics from the BPW subsidiary idem telematics. In the BAX TC Trailer Gateway PRO installed as standard. Via the associated cargofleet 3 portal dispatching and fleet management can track not only the range but also information on the location and even the possible payload.

“This transparency is a decisive added value offered by the telematics system in the BAX. Linked to this is the goal of enabling transporters to optimise vehicle availability and utilisation,” explains Tim Engelberth, Electromobility & InnerCity Solutions at BPW Bergische Achsen. “We therefore integrated the telematics solution into the overall BAX concept as early as the development phase of the vehicle.” In typical applications of the e-truck with fixed routes and delivery times in city transport, traceability is highly interesting in order to gain economic advantages.

With the increasing electrification of commercial vehicles, the need for intelligent and easy-to-use telematics will continue to grow in the coming years. However, while large, internationally operating transport companies have been successfully relying on digitalisation for a long time, many medium-sized companies are often still reluctant to act: they shy away from the perceived complexity, the variety of systems for telematics and fleet management as well as the interfaces required for this – even if the efficiency advantages are becoming increasingly convincing. Therefore, solutions that make the complex particularly easy to master are in demand for entry.

Cargofleet 3 from idem telematics offers exactly that: the all-in-one platform has interfaces to many third-party systems and thus enables simple integration of heterogeneous fleets. The in-house telematics devices are of course also optimally integrated. TC Trailer Gateway BASIC, which is now supplied factory-fitted by leading trailer manufacturers, already has a comprehensive range of functions: it offers modern radio standards, Bluetooth, WLAN and tyre pressure monitoring in a single, compact device. In this way, Europe’s leading system supports a wide range of transport tasks. TC Trailer Gateway PRO supplements this range of functions with various wired interfaces and is thus equipped for a wide range of applications.

The hardware from the TC Trailer Gateway family is already factory-installed in the BAX as well as in many trailers and ensures the data connection of the vehicle sensors and all sensors, such as for tyre pressure and temperatures, with the cargofleet 3 platform. The devices are also ideally suited for retrofitting. Commissioning is simple and efficient: a smartphone app connects to the installed device and guides you intuitively through the configuration. Whether original equipment or retrofitting, the TC Trailer Gateway family helps with the increasingly comprehensive digitalisation. “It is crucial that every company has the opportunity to tap into the efficiency gains of telematics step by step and at its own pace. Here, as the number one in the market, we can provide confidence and decision-making security,” emphasises Jens Zeller, Managing Director of idem telematics.

A central issue in modern fleets is economic efficiency. Whether it’s about driving in a fuel-efficient manner, reducing waiting times or avoiding empty runs: In the end, the efficient use of resources pays off. Tyre pressure monitoring can save a considerable amount of fuel and thus CO2. In addition, tyres last longer if they are always driven with the correct pressure. Evaluations of standing times and load and empty runs help to analyse the efficiency of the fleet and to set up measures for optimisation.

Optionally, the telematics can also read out and process further technical data. BAX Remote Service Support, for example, offers further added value: the vehicle control system monitors the condition of all relevant mechanical, electrical and digital components and transmits this to the telematics. This enables fleet management and certified service workshops to identify a possible fault before the vehicle arrives for maintenance or repair. The digital readout of the fault memory and the remote diagnosis save valuable time in everyday transport operations. Telematics thus supports the level of safety and transparency that transport companies expect when entering electric mobility.