GPS Fleet Tracking Technology
GPS Tracking Software Classifications
The software that displays and manages the location information sent from the GPS receiver via a communications medium to the host location represents the heart of GPS technology. There are two primary categories of location-based software systems:
- Telematics Systems: Stand-alone Consumer or Business software applications
- AVL Systems: Integrated Business software applications
In addition to the delineation between consumer and business markets, there are two general software architectures used in Telematics / AVL applications:
- Applications Service Provider: Remotely Hosted
- Enterprise application: Locally Hosted
See Future Quest's article ASP vs. Enterprise Applications.
Telematics Systems
Telematics providers can fall into either business or consumer categories, but typically operate as stand-alone systems that are not integrated into a workforce automation or dispatch package. In addition, Telematics systems usually employ an ASP architecture, where the primary hosting and database functions reside on a server remotely hosted by the provider.
The consumer market is dominated by On Star, however the business category is highly competitive, with several ASP applications offering a wide range of services. Typically, these services are priced with a one-time hardware cost from $500.00 to $1000.00 per vehicle, plus a monthly charge for the application, ranging from approximately $10 to $30 monthly per vehicle, depending on fleet size and contract length. An additional monthly fee for wireless airtime may be required as well, running from $10 to $40 monthly, depending on the network, and the wireless data package chosen.
Because Telematics systems most often use an ASP approach, they utilize a public data network to transmit the location information from the vehicles back to the host software.
AVL Systems
This class of solution usually tightly integrates the GPS location information with other functionality to address a specific market need. For example, GPS is used extensively in the Taxi and Para-Transit industries to automatically assign customer pick-ups to the closest available vehicle. The GPS functionality is usually configured as an optional module that can be purchased with a workforce application.
AVL systems generally utilize an Enterprise architecture, which is hosted locally with the primary vertical market software application. As a result, AVL systems can use either a public data network or customer owned communications system as the wireless component.
In-Vehicle Navigation Systems
Another key application utilizing vehicle location information is for in-vehicle navigation and trip planning. This is useful functionality for fleets frequently traveling to different or often obscure destinations.
As the pricing of in-vehicle navigation solutions are comparatively inexpensive we recommend that this technology be implement independent of any wireless GPS solution as described above. Typically, a PDA to display one's location or route to another location can be purchased for $300 to $500. Usually, the GPS receiver and the software including full maps for Canada or the US are available for $200 to $400. This gives one a total solution from between $500 to $900.
Alternatively, there are very sophisticated units produced by car audio manufactures that can be installed in dash with reasonable large LCD displays. At the end of the day, the mapping and direction functionality in either system are about equal. The value the in dash units bring are usually associated with accompanying audio functionality (integrated CD/Tape player, Radio etc) and the fit and finish of the device.
