Two examples: One everyday example, and one – well, read it for yourself...
1. Security technology for taxis and rental vehicles
Driving a taxi is a dangerous occupation. Hundreds of taxi drivers are victims of robberies and assaults each year, and taxi drivers are time and again killed in robberies. For this reason, trade unions have been demanding better security in the taxi business for a long time.
Early approaches to electronic protection via GPS kept failing due to high costs (many thousands of euros per year). In addition, the German Taxi Association e.V. stated: “The German taxi industry is in worse shape than ever before.” ENAiKOON is now making security affordable.
ENAiKOON has now developed special security technology which, thanks to GPS satellite navigation and a GSM module (mobile telephone connection), is state of the art, but is also great value for money: ENAiKOON locate.
In an emergency, the taxi driver triggers a silent alarm via an emergency switch which is broadcast nationwide via the mobile radio network. With the aid of GPS, the exact location of the vehicle in Germany is determined by a security control centre, and the police are notified – without the time-consuming detour via the taxi control centre. For preventive purposes, potential offenders are warned by a conspicuous sticker that the vehicle is equipped with the most modern technology. Trials with similar systems have shown that the mere presence of these security measures can significantly reduce the number of attacks on taxi drivers.
The future: The optimal taxi control centre! The built-in technology, however, aids not only the security of the driving personnel, but in future will also replace the conventional taxi control centre. The system can be dialled into normally from outside by telephone, and immediately automatically ascertains both the address of the caller and the location of the closest taxi. If, on occasion, the location of the caller cannot be ascertained via the database, a computer-controlled speech-dialogue system requests the customer information, and stores it. The customer is only forwarded to a call centre in exceptional cases. The driver can, in normal cases, also speak to the customer directly, and thus clarify any special requirements (card payment, assistance for elderly persons, bulky luggage etc.) in advance. The benefits are clear: The passenger is connected to a driver with practically no time delay, and no longer needs to be irritated by engaged telephone numbers or annoyed telephone operators, some of whom lack knowledge of the locality. In addition, after speaking to the driver it will also be clear whether the customer should go straight to the front door, or wait for the vehicle for a few minutes.
Increased profitability: For smaller taxi operators, and even for sole traders, the system provides all the benefits of a large taxi control centre, without the high costs traditionally associated with it. The system functions incorruptibly, and ensures that none of the participating companies can be preferred or disadvantaged in the allocation of jobs. Operators of larger taxi fleets can collect company-internal statistics regarding capacity, kilometres driven, profitable locations etc. with the aid of the stored customer and route data. The information collected is also practical for the purposes of invoicing and/or monitoring. Resource planning can be optimised, and capacity is increased. The use of ENAiKOON locates furthermore increases profitability. And don’t forget: The increasingly important security of drivers is also enhanced. The small investment is, by comparison, of little consequence, and will have already paid for itself after a short time.
2. Behavioural research on harbour seals with GPS
A very exciting, and unusual, application of telematics: Scientists in Denmark are investigating the impacts of a wind farm on the behaviour of marine mammals. Harbour seals are incredible animals. They can swim out against even the strongest currents, sleep floating in the water and swim up to breathe without even waking up. They are able to find nutrition even in cloudy water – the elegant swimmers simply run their whiskers along the seabed, looking for flatfish. Would these animals feel aggrieved by a wind farm on the ocean? The Danish energy supplier SEAS built a large offshore wind farm south of Lolland, near Rødsand, for 250 million euros. A total of 72 turbines, each almost 69 metres high with a rotor diameter of more than 80 metres, were to convert wind energy into electrical energy there day after day. This would enable up to 120,000 households to be supplied with alternative power.
Around 200 harbour seals, however, also live around the wind farm, and these may in turn be part of an even larger population in the area. It is possible that the increased volume of traffic could have an impact on the sensitive harbour seals and other seals in their natural habitats. A comprehensive environmental study was proposed to provide some clarity on the matter. Scientists examined how far the animals would swim to forage, how much they would eat in the area of the wind park, and how much time they spent on land. Experts from the National Environmental Research Institute of Denmark have already been working on this for two years, together with colleagues from power company SEAS.
The experts now know that while some seals are very mobile – some cover up to 650 kilometres in ten days – the more relaxed harbour seals splash around within a radius of 10 kilometres. Until now, studies such as this were conducted with the help of airplanes, from which the animals would be counted. This method is expensive and impractical, however, as the mammals spend a lot of time underwater. For this reason, the results of studies such as these were, until now, snapshots at best.
The Danish animal researchers now use a small remote monitoring module (ENAiKOON locate), which the animals wear on their heads for a certain period of time. The module was developed specially by ENAiKOON. This process does not interfere with the normal life of the seals. As soon as the animal sticks its head out of the water, the current position is ascertained by GPS, and stored. The inbuilt transmitter switches on once a day and broadcasts the most recent data regarding whereabouts, distance covered etc. to the marine biologists. This always occurs when the harbour seals are relaxing in the sun on the beach. The high-performance batteries last for around ten months when used in this manner.
You see? ENAiKOON even has a soft spot for animals!
