The Only Thing Constant in Telematics is Change

Telematics in the transportation industry has been around for decades, and it has transformed the way fleets operate. The evolution in technology has made it easier for operators to prevent losses of all kinds – from theft to lost loads. In the refrigeration sector, telematics has become a mainstay of operations to ensure the integrity of perishable loads. More and more customers are requiring it, and more and more companies are incorporating it into their food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), sustainability, and annual equipment procurement plans. It’s simply good business – for the protection of the fleet owner, the customer and the end consumer.

But just like other technologies, telematics offerings must constantly evolve to meet changing needs – and this includes convenience and flexibility requirements of customers. In other words, it must remain customer centric.

Throughout the past couple of years, the pandemic put a spotlight on many changing needs and forced companies’ hands to re-think offerings and practices to limit contact with customers while having proof points (real data!) to share on product temperatures and delivery times. It was also a time for telematics providers to re-think their offerings and create ways to make it easier for fleets to incorporate this vital technology into their equipment.

The Evolution of Telematics

For leading telematics providers like Thermo King, this evolution is nothing new – it is something we’ve committed to since integrating the technology into our product lines more than 18 years ago. We are constantly looking for ways to make the transition simpler for companies to manage their fleets economically and reliably.

This includes having telematics hardware as standard on all new units since 2018, which gives customers the ability to turn the service on when they are ready. This includes reliable connections and monitoring services – to ensure visibility of each asset and its status throughout its journey. And this also includes collaboration with other vendors so that the customer experience is positive and seamless.

Case in point is the most recent expansion of Thermo King’s ConnectedSuite^™ portfolio to bring greater flexibility and cloud-based data-sharing options to customer fleets. Examples include the Thermo King Connect app and new third-party partnerships, which allow users to integrate Thermo King’s leading TracKing^® temperature and asset management system with partner platforms.

Investments in telematics must always be about delivering the data needed to improve fleet efficiencies, reduce cargo loss risks, and boost uptime for our customers. The priority is on providing customers with critical data, when and where they need it, regardless of the fleet management system they use or type of refrigeration units they run. This is why Thermo King’s Connect app is available to all Thermo King TracKing telematics  users and non-TracKing users, and can be downloaded for iOS or Android – it’s an evolution of two retiring apps, providing greater functionality in one app.

Data Sharing for Partner Systems

This is also why Thermo King expanded its data sharing partnerships to include several new companies. This allows customers to easily integrate partner systems with TracKing telematics equipment and requires no additional hardware or installation requirements to access the cloud-based, secure data integration. Customers may opt-in at any time to authorize available partners to access data from their Thermo King units.

The only thing constant with telematics is change, and customers are relying on their providers to keep adapting, improving, and ensuring that their services continue to meet those evolving needs. Thermo King is aligned to do just that, and we’re confident this will be a real win for all!

Carl Breczinski is the Controls and Digital product manager for Thermo King Americas