Navman Wireless to use Google Maps for fleet management system

Navman Wireless has announced the addition of live traffic information and 360-degree photographic street views to its OnlineAVL2 real-time fleet tracking and management system, with an upgrade of the system’s mapping software to Google Maps API Premier product. The new features advance OnlineAVL2’s ability to improve fleet productivity and customer service, while reducing fuel, labor and vehicle operating costs. The new integration with the Google Maps equips fleet operators with better information for optimizing routing and assisting drivers once they reach their destinations.

The Google Map Live Traffic Layer facility will enable dispatchers to make vehicle assignments based on real-time traffic conditions, as well as re-route vehicles that have been already dispatched, in order to avoid congestion that will affect service or delivery times. The Google Street View system will allow dispatchers to zoom, rotate and pan through ground-level street photos, in order to help drivers navigate to locations, such as parking lots, delivery docks and building doors, when they arrive at their assigned destination. Google Maps is now the mapping platform used to display real-time GPS-based vehicle location information in the OnlineAVL2 application.

Renaat Ver Eecke, vice president, Navman Wireless North America, says, “Live traffic and street views are important tools for operations personnel who have responsibility for getting vehicles to their destinations as quickly as possible. Upgrading to Google Maps allows us to provide these features along with fast, accurate maps that help us deliver the real-time vehicle tracking information at the heart of our application.” Daniel Chu, product manager, Google Maps API Premier, says, “Navman Wireless’ implementation of the Google Maps API Premier will help fleet operators make intelligent routing decisions and correctly navigate drivers to the correct address based on core map data as well as traffic conditions. This is a classic example of the value of the Maps platform in helping businesses meet their mapping needs.”

18 February 2010