The ability to monitor the performance of vehicles while on the road has myriad benefits for operators. WABCO speaks to CVW about its remote diagnostics solution, which can help to optimise service scheduling and covers multiple vehicle manufacturers.
Remote diagnostics monitors the technical performance of medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles on the road. The system enables fleet operators to detect onboard system failure modes early and optimise vehicle maintenance schedules.
WABCO’s remote diagnostics solution offers fleet operators a remote diagnostics platform that supports multiple brands of commercial vehicle, which can be easily integrated within a fleet management system (FMS). The company believes its solution simplifies fleet management by eliminating the need to learn, operate and support various remote diagnostic systems associated with corresponding brands.
Having first participated in the pilot programme for the solution, Andreas Manke, Fleet Manager and Controller, Bartkowiak GmbH, commented: “We were very pleased to be among the first to test WABCO’s remote diagnostics solution in a real-world environment. We are especially enthusiastic about moving from numerous different platforms to a single solution, which works for all our vehicles from various manufacturers. As we gain experience with the system, we are discovering more opportunities to improve vehicle uptime and overall efficiency.”
The remote diagnostics software leverages the relationship between WABCO, WABCOWÜRTH Workshop Services and Transics International, a WABCO company and a leading FMS provider in Europe. The system links datafrom WABCO’s braking, stability and vehicle dynamics control systems for trucks and trailers with Transics’ fleet management platform, and WABCOWÜRTH’s comprehensive, multibrand diagnostic technology.
“WABCO and its partners are simplifying remote diagnostics for commercial fleet operators by enabling them to use one system seamlessly for multiple vehicle brands,” said Didier Nulens, Global Sales, Services and Marketing Leader, Transics International.
“The innovation enhances connectivity and helps commercial fleets maximise asset utilisation and improve operational efficiency.”
WABCO’s remote diagnostics works with Transics’ TX-SKY onboard computers to monitor all electronic vehicle systems, including engine control, braking, air suspension and driver assistance. Data is transmitted to Transics’ fleet management back office software platform, TXCONNECT, which analyses and translates it into easy-to-understand maintenance and service information within the FMS portal.
The solution therefore aims to increase vehicle uptime by avoiding failures, reducing unplanned maintenance and optimising service scheduling.
“WABCO’s remote diagnostics takes vehicle connectivity to the next level, making it possible to solve problems and apply solutions in real time,” concludes Christian Loidolt, General Manager, WABCOWÜRTH.
“This system streamlines remote diagnostics for fleet operators, so they have more time to focus on their core business.”
Remote diagnostics represents an important step in bringing vehicle connectivity closer to a future model of predictive maintenance. Under a predictive model, data collected from equipment sensors provides the foundation for calculating future performance, enabling maintenance schedules to be determined by analysis, rather than by a prescribed timeline.
Predictive maintenance reduces downtime by identifying issues before failures occur, enabling efficient service scheduling, and streamlining root cause analysis.
