“Telematics has become a megatrend in heavy equipment industries as more and more companies see value in having a 24/7, real-time overview of their fleet,” according to Marco Tacke, Product Marketing Manager of Telematics Solutions at Danfoss.

Danfoss engineers have drawn on more than 30 years of experience in electronics and applications know-how to develop Danfoss Telematics Solutions, an easy-to-integrate telematics platform for either new off-highway equipment or existing fleet retrofits. Danfoss says that while other telematics solutions offer bits and pieces of capability, its new system design offers a comprehensive suite of telematics as an all-in-one system.

The system combines machine-integrated technology, satellite, and cellular network connectivity, and a customizable, intuitive user interface to give fleet owners visibility of how, when, and where their equipment is used. It uses a powerful and versatile IT infrastructure and Web-based interface to gather, transmit, interpret, and store data that is most valuable to the end user. The customizable interface is easy to use and accessible on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Through use of the Danfoss PLUS+1 platform, OEMs can implement telematics features without the need for specific programming knowledge. The PLUS+1 platform also makes retrofitting equipment as simple as replacing a cable without the need to change a single line of software code.

“Danfoss Telematics Solutions offer our OEM customers the opportunity to ‘plug-and-perform’ rather than ‘code-and-compile,’” said Tacke. “This saves significant time and cost during development, enabling customers to focus on their core competencies.”

A short list of the capabilities of the system include data analysis, remote diagnostics, remote change of system parameters, remote software updates, geofencing, and automated report generation.

“Operations can use this data flow to better manage maintenance, minimize downtime, allocate resources, and protect equipment,” Tacke said.

The Danfoss Telematics Solutions platform is open and flexible, allowing OEMs to create custom applications and services, integrating seamlessly with the PLUS+1 development and service tools, allowing for real-time remote access to applications. All PLUS+1 service tool features are available for connected machines, allowing for adjustments to PLUS+1 application parameters or updates to PLUS+1 software.

“Danfoss Telematics Solutions were engineered with the future in mind,” Tacke said. “Our platform has the power and capacity to expand as telematics capabilities and needs continue to evolve. Our initial offering, the WS unit, is only the first release from the platform. We will continue to introduce robust telematics solutions.”

Danfoss Telematics Solutions offer compliance with Global System for Mobile (GSM) wireless communication and GPS technology, meaning every Danfoss telematics unit will function anywhere in the world. This flexibility comes with the speed and performance of 3G/UMTS. HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) provide better and faster data upload and download, with even faster speeds arriving soon.