TomTom Rolls Out Cloud-Based Navigation
Cloud Updates Could Signal Notice to Google Maps
TomTom [TOM2] has rolled out its TomTom Navigation for Automotive, a cloud-native hybrid navigation product that could be a difference maker for drivers wanting a safe alternative to Google Maps.
TomTom Navigation, developed for the automotive industry, operates in a fully functional offline mode—another reason it could signal renewed interest for in-vehicle navigation devices.
In the event there is no connectivity, the system can seamlessly switch to the cached data to provide uninterrupted navigation, said Anna Bednarczyk, TomTom Automotive senior manager, product marketing. “Similarly, once connectivity has resumed, the system can switch back to the online scenario, making use of most up to date map data and online services, like routing traffic etc. There is also a possibility to pre-install onboard maps to enable navigation for regions where there is never connectivity available or in case of planning a route when in the garage,” she said.
TomTom said it could not disclose automakers who are already implementing the product. However, the company’s past customers include PSA, FCA, VW, Volvo Trucks, Renault, Toyota, SsangYong, MG India, BMW Motorrad, Subaru and Mitsubishi.
Key Takeaways:
With cloud-delivery, the in-dash system will have the up-to-date and super-fast experience of a smartphone app, said Antoine Saucier, Managing Director, TomTom Automotive.
The driver can also interact directly with TomTom’s navigation via easy-to-use voice assistance from Amazon Alexa, Cerence or Houndify.
The intuitive interface can be displayed on the center stack, cluster screen, head-up display (HUD) and passenger screens in different sizes and aspect ratios.
The unit can be integrated with vehicle sensors, enabling it to display vital information linked to advanced driver assistance systems and refueling or recharging needs.
Digital Matter Partners With Foresolutions, Outlines Tracking Strategy
Digital Matter and Foresolutions are partnering to integrate IoT devices to track and monitor assets in several markets. Specifically, Foresolutions is using Digital Matter’s battery-powered LTE-M/NB-IoT Oyster2 devices as well as smaller Yabby devices to track business assets that previously were not cost-effective to track.
In the past, construction companies would only put GPS trackers on heavy equipment because of the cost. However, they are tracking all types of smaller tools, including hand trucks, hand rollers, shovels and more, helping to reduce theft, optimize utilization, and improve efficiency, the company said.
Foresolutions said the partnership will allow it to go into niche markets within construction, fleet, transportation and others.
“Foresolutions is taking our device and selling it under their brand. Our devices are all designed to be ‘white-labelled’ and most of our resellers look to promote them under their own brand,” said Ken Everett, Digital Matter CEO and founder. “Historically, [companies] have been tracking the expensive equipment but now are also tracking ‘other’ bits of gear like tools and portable toilets – that wouldn’t normally have a tracker on them,” Everett said. “This also includes using our Remora tracker with built in Bluetooth gateway on trailers – so not only is the trailer tracked but also any cargo that has a Bluetooth tag on it can also be tracked.”
The historical tracking market focuses on vehicles and equipment that have a power source readily available, Everett said. “Tracking using GPS and cellular modems can, and has been, very power hungry and this is the main reason,” he said. “Our advancements in developing tracking devices that run off standard batteries has allowed our resellers like Foresolutions to branch out into asset tracking across all assets in an organization. The benefit for them is to cross-sell into their existing client base. Most companies with a fleet of vehicles or equipment have many more items that they also need to manage and track.”
Everett said that Foresolutions is currently using the company’s Oyster devices on emergency equipment that assists the management of the COVID pandemic.
Digital Matter Outlines Global Asset Tracking Strategy
Tracking has been highlighted as one of the most marketable IoT segments, a fact that is not lost on Everett, who believes that battery technology will be an important market driver.
“Our belief is that asset tracking is one of the largest and rapidly growing areas of IoT. Especially as we move towards the ‘sweet spot’ of having battery-powered tracking units,” he said.
Everett believes that the “three Ps” are critical to market growth:
Power – the new tech is allowing Digital Matter to get 5 TIMES the battery life of our old range. “Deploy once and never change the batteries”. Now 5 year+ is achievable and not just marketing.
Performance – advancements in location tech allow Digital Matter to deliver indoor/ outdoor location at cheaper prices and lower power.
Price – the largest part of the ROI calculation. At 5 times battery life, with a 40 percent lower price point, it starts making sense to put a tracker on a lot more things.
Trimble and VSI Labs Partner for AV Positioning Capabilities
Trimble [TRMB] has partnered with autonomous vehicle research firm VSI Labs to be the GNSS precise-positioning and orientation technology supplier for VSI's autonomous research vehicle program.
The deal allows the company’s to showcase Trimble’s RTX technology to car manufacturers and their suppliers. VSI, founded by industry veteran Phil Magney, is testing and demonstrating the technology through its Destination ACM conference and demonstration displays in southeast Michigan.
Key Takeaways:
Trimble's precise RTX positioning is a key element of VSI's technology stack for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Vehicle (AV) applications.
Because Trimble’s RTX corrections operate on a single, global network, drivers are not subject to the coverage outages that can exist when relying on local positioning systems.
Trimble GNSS positioning technology will be used in the VSI research vehicle during each of the quarterly Destination ACM events, the Drive World Conference in Silicon Valley in August, the VSI 2021 "Drive South" as well as other events during 2021.
In other company news, Trimble also rolled out its first dual-frequency embedded timing module, the RES 720 GNSS timing module. It uses L1 and L5 GNSS signals for protection against jamming and spoofing, mitigates multi-path in harsh environments, and adds security features to make it the ideal choice for resilient networks, the company said.
Unity and HERE Developing In-Vehicle 3D Mapping
Unity [U] and HERE Technologies are developing next-generation embedded automotive HMIs with RT3D rendering capabilities, the companies said. Unity said the partnership with HERE will continue work on next-generation location technology for autonomous driving, simulations, city planning and digital twins.
In Unity’s blog, Nick Davis, content manager, says that every screen, and how people interact with these screens, can benefit from real-time 3D technology. “Unity’s real-time 3D brings disjointed HMI design and development workflows together to create visually compelling, immersive HMI experiences in cars and other industrial products,” he said.
Unity and HERE developed a proof-of-concept application of an embedded in-vehicle-infotainment (IVI) system (see video below). It was created on Unity’s platform and features HERE 3D city data to show a 3D map of San Francisco to include HMI workflow design improvements, the company said.
The HERE and Unity PoC application runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon and in 2020, Unity said it has collaborations with multiple companies across the HMI ecosystem, including Continental AG’s Elektrobit and NXP Semiconductors.
Here’s a pretty slick video of the digital mapping concept.
Other Location News:
News tip? Send them to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com.
General Motors Mexico has launched a new OnStar fleet management software with Canadian fleet IT solutions firm Fleet Complete.
Teletrac Navman Signs Deal With University of Warwick. Teletrac will install 150 units.
Garmin will integrate Alexa into new vehicle infotainment systems.
CGTE Selects CalAmp's Telematics Technology for Equipment Fleet Management in Italy. CalAmp sold its U.S. LoJack brand, but kept the European operations.
Tesla Owners Take To Reddit Asking What Happens If 'Full Self Driving' Isn't Real. Wow…ready to call out the lawyers?
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Location Industry Briefs
Send your news to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com.
Inpixon Reports Fiscal Year Results
Inpixon [INPX] reported its fiscal year results that ended Dec. 31, 2020. Revenues for the year were $9.3 million, compared to $6.3 million for the comparable period in 2019. While gross profit was $6.7 million, net loss tallied $29.2 million compared to $34.0 million for the comparable period in the prior year. During the year, Inpixon completed acquisition of Nanotron Technologies GmbH, a global location awareness technology company.
The company last week announced it will acquire a controlling interest of the outstanding capital stock of Game Your Game, an app-based sports performance analytics firm using IoT sensors, maps and location technologies that is focused on the golf industry.
This week, the company rolled out its Inpixon Personnel Tag, a lightweight ultra-wideband (UWB) locator tag for the company’s real-time location system (RTLS). It is designed to deliver 30-centimeter accuracy to locate employees or visitors in real-time for safety and security applications, the company said.
Contact: Inpixon, marketing@inpixon.com.
Geotab and Electric Last Mile Partner on Telematics Product
Electric Last Mile and Geotab Inc. are partnering to deliver a factory-installed connectivity product that will provide data for ELMS customers to manage and optimize their fleets.
ELMS plans to integrate Geotab’s GO9+ telematics product into its Urban Delivery vehicle, which may be the first Class 1 commercial electric vehicle (“EV”) available in the U.S. market, the company said.
Contact: Hanna Corrente, Geotab, hannacorrente@geotab.com.
PNI Sensor Offers Indoor and Outdoor Soldier Tracking
PNI Sensor introduced the Dismounted Soldier Tracking (DST) technology that determines a soldier’s precise location, even when GPS is compromised or denied, the company said.
DST intertial tracking offers step-by-step tracking for soldiers, both indoors and outdoors, the company said. In addition, the technology determines direction of motion independent of the soldier’s body pose or dynamic movement in any direction (forward, backward, sideways).
Contact: Robin Stoecker, PNI Sensor, rstoecker@pnicorp.com.
u-blox’ New Timing Modules
Thalwil, Switzerland-based u-blox [UBLXF] rolled out its first multi-band high accuracy timing products to support the L1 and L5 GNSS (global navigation satellite system) signals.
The ZED-F9T-10B and LEA-F9T-10B timing modules, and the RCB-F9T-1 timing card deliver nanosecond-level timing accuracies required to synchronize cellular network base stations and smart power grids, the company said.
Contact: Natacha Seitz, u-blox, natacha.seitz@u-blox.com.
Taoglas Offers New Generator Monitoring Solution
Taoglas rolled out its Genset Insights that enables businesses to optimize their fleet of generators with real-time data and analytics. The new product includes Taoglas EDGE IG10 industrial gateway combined with the Taoglas Insights enterprise-level software vendor agnostic platform, the company said.
Taoglas Genset Insights will be marketed to genset rental companies, integrators and generator operators. The product comes with an on-board analytics engine allowing companies to deploy machine learning and predictive analytics to effectively monitor, manage and track the usage of their generator sets.
Contact: Emma Walsh, Taoglas, mediarelations@taoglas.com.
Tenna Offers Steel Tracking Puck
Tenna rolled out its TennaBLE Beacon Steel Puck for construction equipment fleet and management. The new puck can autonomously track the location of such equipment parts and attachments as buckets and blades, the company said.
The steel puck builds on the company’s traditional Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon that is encased in steel and welded to the asset for extra ruggedness, the company said.
Contact: Gina Setzer, Tenna, gsetzer@tenna.com.
People
Sewio Networks named Viren Mathuria as general manager for its North American business unit. A 10-year location industry veteran, Mathuria will lead Sewio’s business strategy--overseeing sales, partner alliances, and operations in North America, the company said. Prior to joining Sewio Networks, Mathuria served as the director of sales and business development at Ubisense.
Contact: Sewio, sales@sewio.net
Inpixon [INPX] named Richard Clemmer, former CEO of NXP Semiconductors, to the company’s board of advisors. Clemmer, a co-investor in Game Your Game, which recently was acquired by Inpixon, served in leadership roles at Agere Systems, NCR, u-Nav Microelectronics, and Quantum.
Contact: Inpixon, marketing@inpixon.com.
The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) has named Chris Holmes as its first visiting fellow. Holmes’ appointment will help OGC with its API development milestones, the consortium said. Homes is vice president/strategy for Planet.
Contact: OGC, info@ogc.org
Jobs
Software Sales Executive. HERE.
Waymo Jobs. Waymo.
Digital Marketing Specialist. Trimble.