Qualcomm Wins U.S. Contract to Track Mexican Trucks
"Qualcomm has won a federal contract to provide a satellite-based tracking system for U.S. and Mexican trucks participating in a contentious experiment that opens the border to long-haul commercial traffic," SignOn San Diego reports:
Federal officials said yesterday that the San Diego-based company’s OmniTRACS system will allow the U.S. government to closely monitor trucks from both countries, including compliance with regulations that prohibit truckers from driving more than 11 hours per day.
Although Qualcomm is best-known for its prominent role as a chip-maker in the wireless industry, the company also is a major designer of satellite tracking systems for vehicles.
Qualcomm will provide tracking technology for 100 trucks at a cost of $367,000, officials said.
U.S. transportation officials hope the tracking system will soften congressional opposition to the two-month-old pilot project. Five carriers from Mexico and three from the United States are participating in the program, which is limited to a maximum of 100 carriers from each country.
OmniTRACS uses geosynchronous satellites and "helps fleets improve productivity, reduce operating costs, enhance customer service, and increase security." Features include:
* Automatic satellite vehicle positioning
* Two-way text and data communications
* Highly reliable message delivery
* Customizable reports
* AS/400, Windows®, or web-hosted operation
* Panic Buttons (available option)
We’re not sure what the Panic Button achieves, but we assume it won’t be ignored like the car alarms that bleet plaintively in our local mall parking lot.
Qualcomm has a nice flash demo of OmniTracks here. The system predates commercial use of GPS, and its next iteration — OmniVision — will provide real-time directions and maps using Maptuit’s NaviGo to truckers on the move:
Maptuit NaviGo is a real-time, hybrid in-cab navigation service that provides professional truck drivers and trucking companies with interactive maps for increased routing efficiency and improved driver satisfaction. QUALCOMM plans to offer NaviGo on the OmniVision platform later this year….
The OmniVision mobile computing platform is an integrated system consisting of hardware, software and network infrastructure, enabling delivery of two-way data communications and value-added services to enterprises in a mobile environment.
