Telematics regulator specifies key requirements to ensure black box reliability, integrity and security
By Steve Skinner | November 15, 2013
Transport Certification Australia (TCA)
has released a standard for telematics devices used in trucks and other land transport vehicles.
The standard is called “Telematics In-Vehicle Unit (IVU) Functional and Technical Specification”. The TCA says it was developed in consultation with government and telematics industry representatives.
Telematics is the capture, transmission and remote storage of truck and trailer data, usually involving GPS and often in real-time.
“The use of telematics across land-based transport, including the bus, taxi, mining, insurance, emergency services and automotive sectors – for both light and heavy vehicles – has grown significantly in recent times,” TCA Chief Executive Officer Chris Koniditsiotis (pictured)
says.
“So much so, that telematics IVUs are now commonly used for tracking, navigation, fleet management, safety and the management of regulatory requirements,” Koniditsiotis says.
“While IVUs can be used to perform any number of functions and services … the Telematics IVU Specification sets out the core requirements to ensure reliability, integrity and security.
“These requirements are especially critical if the information collected from IVUs is to be used and relied upon by third parties – such as in a contractual relationship or a regulatory setting.”
The TCA says the standard will enable prospective buyers to compare the merits of different IVU types. In other words, they’ll know the right technical questions to ask.
Going further, the TCA has also announced it will now accept applications from suppliers of IVUs to have them type-approved against the Specification. Purchasers will then have the extra assurance that any unit given a tick by the TCA actually meets the standards.
The aim is to have single units that are capable of extra functions as required – a bit like being able to download new apps for a smartphone, or add a new channel to your pay TV package.
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