ETL Electronique Ltd. of Montreal has unveiled Astus II, the latest version of its light vehicle fleet management system for small fleets of that operate between four and 50 vehicles.

Astus is designed to efficiently track and manage the key costs of running a light vehicle fleet, compiling information on driver habits and vehicle usage while on the road. The Astus II upgrade features options such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) for vehicle tracking via satellite and a black box to provide additional vehicle activity data. Other options include a keyboard and optic bar code reader in each vehicle, said ETL.

Astus II’s GPS device helps validate travel routes and improve routing efficiency, with what ETL calls an "economical" alternative to real-time location tracking which requires monthly communication fees.

The black box option records vehicle operation during the last 10 minutes to the precise second before an accident occurs. Information gathered can then be used to verify, analyze and confirm reported conditions under which an accident has occurred, said ETL.