Telematics To See Sharp Growth, Research Firm Says.(Brief Article)

Recent advances in electronics coupled with improved economics and expanding network coverage have the transportation industry positioned for significant growth in wireless data applications, according to Vertical Wireless Associates. Vertical Wireless Associates is a marketing and technology strategy company specializing in markets and applications for wireless data communications.

Growth will occur across a number of key market segments, Vertical said. More than a million vehicles will come equipped with telematics by the end of 2003, it predicted. Advances in voice recognition technology will break through the safety and ease-of-use barriers, transforming onboard telematics from a technological curiosity into a mainstream set of applications.

Just as today's telematics safety and security features are a direct result of initial consumer demand, future telematics services will also be driven by what drivers want in their cars.

In the trucking industry, as fleets in the transportation industry become more comfortable and reliant on vehicle electronics and wireless data networks, they are becoming more ambitious in their plans for the use of these technologies. This projected increase in the use of information technology will require a reliable and extensive wireless network. The number of fleets considering the new purchase of onboard electronics is now twice as high as it was three years ago, Vertical said.

The availability of GPS data is allowing equipment owners to determine the precise location of rolling assets. By demonstrating reduced capital costs through fewer lost trailers and higher equipment availability, mobile asset tracking is beginning to make the transition from high-end service to a part of every fleet's business model, the company said. The availability of miniaturized, low-cost GPS chip sets is making the business case even more compelling.

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