British Antarctic Survey selects Geotab telematics to increase safety of researchers on Antarctic ice shelves
London, UK – April 24, 2018 Geotab today announced that it is the first leading global telematics provider to be present in all seven continents. Selected by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) to support its diverse fleet of vehicles in Antarctica, Geotab’s telematics solution will be used to automatically report location and to help improve driver safety.
BAS researchers track changes in critical Antarctic glaciers in order to better understand future sea level rise. An essential part of the research logistics is the large fleet of vehicles, including snowmobiles, which BAS relies on to help carry out scientific programmes across the harsh and constantly changing conditions of the Antarctic. To ensure the fleet remains reliable and succeeds in supporting vital environmental research operations in temperatures that can drop to minus forty degrees celsius, Geotab GO devices have been deployed across a number of BAS vehicles.
“Our vehicles undergo extensive preparation to ensure optimal performance and efficiency before being deployed to Antarctica and we always take extra care to ensure our research specialists are equipped with the training and tools necessary to succeed,” said Timothy Gee, Tractor Traverse Engineer at the British Antarctic Survey. “Despite this however, when vehicles are exploring the ice shelves, they are in a very hostile environment and conditions can change very quickly. Using cutting edge telematics technology on our vehicles allows us to not only know where our vehicles are, but gives us peace of mind that our researchers are safe.”
Equipping a number of BAS snowmobiles with Geotab GO devices, the vehicles will automatically send location information and will include a Geotab IOX to act as a ‘panic-button’ to help ensure driver and operator safety. By enabling drivers to alert local and UK-based management to serious problems, the panic button can help prevent minor accidents from escalating into life-threatening incidents – a critical safety factor given the harsh terrain in Antarctica.
“Geotab is honoured to be providing mission-critical telematics coverage in support of the British Antarctic Survey’s scientific exploration of the Thwaites Glacier,” said Neil Cawse, CEO, Geotab. “As we continue to support over one million connected vehicles, now across all seven continents, Geotab’s commitment to safety, optimisation and doing our part to build a greener economy will only grow stronger.
“The BAS’s vital research aims to substantially improve our understanding of future global sea-level rise. Being able to help keep the BAS team and its fleet safe and operational, is a top priority for a globally important expedition,” adds Cawse.
