AI-Driven Automated Vehicle Inspections in Seconds
AI-driven automated vehicle inspections can let you know about any critical issues in seconds, and that means improvements to uptime, efficiency and safety for your fleet.
Emerging Technologies Focus at the City of Austin Fleet
The Emerging Technologies Program is one of the key parts of the City of Austin’s Fleet. Its focus is to look at and build upon advanced automotive technology on multiple fronts including alternative fuels, EVs, telematics, car sharing and also the city’s sustainability goals.
Pre-Conference at NAFA I&E: A Guide to FMCSA Maintenance and Compliance
Don’t miss the pre-conference event at NAFA I&E that will provide a guide to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration maintenance and compliance.
3G Goes Away: Are Fleets Ready?
By Kevin Dennehy
Millions of passenger cars, as well as trucks and buses, lost emergency, convenience, and navigation features last week as AT&T became the first telecommunications company to shut down its 3G network. Both T-Mobile and Verizon will sunset their 3G service later this year.
3G-connected vehicles will lose their automatic crash notification and other features. By some accounts, more than 10 percent of public-school buses could lose GPS and other communications. For fleets, it means loss of vehicle connection and driving data for companies that have not upgraded their telematics services.
The 3G shutdown will affect millions of vehicle models from 2010 to 2019 that had built-in 3G connectivity. Explained Kenny Hawk, CEO of Mojio, a connected car supplier: “It’s a big problem. Any features that depended on that 3G wireless connection will no longer work, including life-saving crash detection and eCall,” he said. “Some automakers are ripping and replacing the 3G embedded telematics control unit, antenna, etc., and leaving their customers with no solution and trying to shift the blame to mobile operators."
Do You Need a Dash Cam for Your Personal Vehicle?
By Grant Feek
With a smartphone in almost every pocket, it seems that virtually nothing goes unrecorded anymore. And to capture things that happen on the road, while we’re driving, dash cams are becoming increasingly commonplace.
They can be especially useful in certain situations… but do you need one? And if you decide to get one, what features should you be looking for?
One of the primary areas where dash cams can be helpful is in typical fender-benders and other minor collisions, where there’s not likely to be a police investigation to recreate the accident. There’s often disagreement about what happened in these types of incidents, and video footage can provide evidence to establish who’s at fault.
In a car vs. pedestrian or cyclist scenario, it can also be helpful to show what was happening prior to the incident. Likewise, in road rage incidents, the footage might help take a dangerous person off the road or justify evasive or self-defense actions taken by a victimized party.
