Christopher Chisman-Duffy, TomTom Telematics Manager for sales in Australia and New Zealand, talked to Fleet Auto News’ Caroline Falls over a coffee in Darlinghurst, Sydney, about growth of telematics and new truck route mapping. This is an edited version of their conversation.
FAN: Chris, can you tell us how the TomTom Telematics division fits into the TomTom group?
Chris: The TomTom Group is made up of four divisions: telematics, (GPS tracking/fleet management software), consumer (think navigation, sports watches), automotive (dealing direct with car manufacturers, in-dash navigation, maps and traffic), and Licencing (TomTom has renewed and extended its global agreement with Apple for maps and related information.)
FAN: Give us your sales spiel for TomTom Telematics?
Chris: TomTom Telematics is a GPS-based vehicle tracking solution. All the data we pick up from our black box (we call ours Link530) goes back to our software which we call Webfleet. With our LINK 530, we deliver information — including location and speed (collected at 10 second intervals) — every minute back to our Webfleet software.
Webfleet produces multiple reports and they can be configured to suit specific business requirements. The reports are based on data received from the vehicle itself — where it’s been driving and driver behaviour. Benefits include customer service and maintenance planning.
We have the technology to give an accurate ETA for every vehicle based on traffic condition changes on route. We can redirect drivers around congestion, roadworks and accident sites to give the most efficient routes. Webfleet reports provide proof of time spent on site, which is useful for invoicing.
TomTom Telematics comprehensive dashboard reporting provides a user friendly analysis. Essentially, we are very much aimed at making business safer and more efficient, whilst maximising productivity.
FAN: Can you give us a heads-up on what is coming next from TomTom Telematics?
Chris: As we are a publicly listed company thanks for understanding that I cannot disclose this type of information. What I can say is that TomTom Telematics will continue to stay at the forefront of technology.
Webfleet offers a trusted, secure, future-proof platform with one of the industry’s richest reporting suites. It can be incorporated with a range of software and hardware, enabling companies to digitize end-to-end business processes and make smarter decisions to achieve their business goals.
This is made possible through stable, open APIs and SDKs, which allow for third-party app development and integration. To date, more than 500 software and hardware partners have integrated their products with the TomTom’s open Telematics Service Platform. Customers and industry partners also benefit from high levels of confidentiality, integrity and availability thanks to the international standard ISO 27001 information security management certification.
FAN: You recently unveiled results of an analysis of traffic data. Can you give us the highlights from that?
Chris: The TomTom devices collect up-to-the-minute traffic information around the world. We recently released our latest global traffic index. It shows that Australia has some of the most congested cities in the world.
For example, in Sydney you could be spending up to four weeks a year extra time on your commute to and from work sitting in traffic. We share this information and work with governments across the globe and have a traffic manifesto aimed at keeping traffic moving, because in a business world this is essential, saving you both time and money.
