New tachograph Data Collection and Fleet Management Solution from MiX Telematics Features Remote Reading and Upgrade Enabled by Wavecom's Wireless Microprocessor(R)

MiX Telematics and Wavecom SA announced the launch of a new tachograph data collection and fleet management solution, marketed exclusively by Continental as the VDO DLD. The VDO DLD is the first in a new breed of intelligent remote data harvesting systems which will make life easier and business more profitable for fleet managers worldwide.

Developed by MiX Telematics exclusively for Continental, the VDO DLD collects digital tachograph (DTCO) data from vehicles such as trucks and buses. Tachographs are used to record information including driving time to ensure compliance with government regulations, which are mandatory in most European countries. Traditional analogue tachographs recorded the data on a waxed paper disc, whereas modern DTCOs record data on on-board computers. Until recently, the only way of accessing DTCO data was a manual extraction from the on-board computer of each single vehicle at the end of the trip, using a combination of a memory card and an authentication smart card.

The new VDO DLD system revolutionizes this process by securely connecting to vehicles via GPRS cellular networks and directly transferring the data to backend archiving systems over the Internet, with no manual intervention. This remote data access is enabled by Wavecom's Wireless Microprocessor, an industrial microprocessor which also acts as a wireless modem for voice and data transmission over GSM/GPRS networks.

Taking full advantage of the Wireless Microprocessor's capabilities, MiX Telematics has made the VDO DLD into a complete, autonomous fleet management system. In addition to the remote harvesting of DTCO data, the VDO DLD features the ability to unlock fleet management capabilities to fleet owners, including driver and vehicle performance monitoring, real-time tracking, trip reporting and more. The product has been designed to be re-programmable and upgradable over the air, thus protecting the fleet owner's investment and ensuring an ongoing ROI.

Charles Tasker, Managing Director of MiX Telematics (International), says: "We have created a new class of solution that goes far beyond the regulatory requirements for recovery of tachograph data. It leverages the potential of wireless communication to collect DTCO data in a much more efficient manner, and it also provides investment protection via over-the-air product upgrades. As a result, customers will see a significant reduction in the time needed to collect this data which is truly cumbersome using current methodologies and they know that they can upgrade to an industry-leading fleet management solution any time without new equipment installations."

Ron Black, CEO of Wavecom, comments: "We are extremely pleased that a company as experienced in the fleet management field as MiX Telematics has selected our Wireless Microprocessor technology to enhance its product portfolio and provide added value to its customers. Tracking and fleet management are perfect illustrations of how wireless machine-to-machine communication can improve business processes and generate new revenue streams, and we are delighted to have teamed up with one of the leaders in this field."

Charles Tasker adds: "The decision to select Wavecom as our preferred technology partner was the result of a thorough evaluation of the major industry players. We were looking for a company that can match our desire to innovate and improve our products. The technology roadmap offered to us by Wavecom will allow our products to keep up with the rapid evolution of wireless communication technologies." Tasker also added, "MiX Telematics is a company that builds long term relationships and we are pleased that this product will be the beginning of a long term and mutually beneficial arrangement."