Image

Siemens VDO offers truck-only onboard navigation

Sept. 20, 2006
A new onboard truck navigation system is an early step in development of a comprehensive vehicle control system by Siemens

HANOVER, GERMANY. A new onboard truck navigation system introduced at the IAA Commercial Vehicle show is an early step in development of a comprehensive vehicle control system by Siemens VDO that is intended to integrate telematics, navigation, electronics controls and even HVAC functions into an “intelligent network.”

Launching first in Europe later this year and in North America in the near future, the Siemens VDO navigation unit is an OEM-installed system that combines GPS and dead-reckoning tracking with real-time traffic updates and automatic rerouting around congestion and other delays. It also allows users to customize routing to a vehicle’s specific size, weight and cargo.

The system uses a large full-color screen to display maps and interface with its controls, and map data is stored on a solid-state secure digital (SD) card. It can also be integrate with other telematics, information and entertainment functions, according Siemens VDO.

The next generation truck navigation system is expected to take advantage of the e-horizon feature developed by Siemens VDO and already offered for BMW passenger cars in Europe. Drawing on terrain profile data and detailed information on road characteristics such as curve radii, it can anticipate road conditions and automatically adjust engine output and gear selection when tied to automated transmission and engine controls. The result is substantial fuel savings, according to Siemens VDO officials.

Eventually the company sees the navigation system as just one component in its vehicle control center (VCC), which would combine hardware and software in “a networked, open and scaleable solution.” The VCC is intended to simplify vehicle, information and communication controls for the driver by offering a consistent “human/machine interface,” while offering both truck builders and users the ability to easily add functions or interfaces with existing applications such as fleet management systems. It would also enable remote vehicle diagnostics and eventually even prognostics, the company says.

For more information, go to www.siemensvdo.com/press/releases/commercialvehicles/2006/sv-200609-004-en.htm

To comment on this article, write to Jim Mele at [email protected]

About the Author

Jim Mele

Jim Mele is a former longtime editor-in-chief of FleetOwner. He joined the magazine in 1986 and served as chief editor from 1999 to 2017. 

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Take Control of Your Finances: A Practical Guide for Carriers in Trucking

This guide is designed to help you navigate these challenges, featuring strategies for automation, examples of effective tools, and a real-world success story from Phoenix Cargo...

Report: The 2024-2025 State Of Heavy-Duty Repair

Fullbay's fifth annual State of Heavy-Duty Repair compiles insights from almost 1,000 experts and over 3,500 shops. If you aren't leveraging these proven data points, your competition...

Guide For Managing Maintenance

The Guide for Managing Maintenance is a comprehensive resource designed to help fleet managers improve their maintenance operations, reduce downtime, and lower overall fleet costs...

The Road Ahead: 2025 Trucking and Fleet Insights

Discover how fleet operators are impacted by challenges like driver onboarding delays and complex compliance, and the critical need for technology to boost efficiency and cut ...