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Car Maintenance

Italy's Navigard Platform to Digitally Monitor Truckers on Motorways

The "Navigard" platform, a remarkable innovation developed by Movyon, the innovation hub of Autostrade per l’Italia (ASPI), was recently brought to light by ASPI CEO Roberto Tomasi and the Italian State Police's Central Director of Specialties, Prefect Renato Cortese. This platform holds the potential to revolutionize road safety and regulatory compliance on Italian motorways.

Navigard - A Game-Changer in Road Safety

Dynamic Vehicle Weight Verification

Optical sensors and cameras play a crucial role in ensuring that trucks adhere to weight restrictions. These advanced tools continuously assess the weight of vehicles on the move, instantly flagging any violations for the vigilant eyes of law enforcement. This not only helps in maintaining the integrity of the motorway infrastructure but also ensures the safety of other road users. For instance, imagine a heavy truck attempting to exceed the prescribed weight limit. The "Navigard" system would promptly detect such an anomaly and take appropriate action, preventing potential accidents caused by overloaded vehicles.Moreover, this feature provides real-time data to transportation authorities, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. It serves as a proactive measure in safeguarding the well-being of everyone on the road.

Hazardous Materials Monitoring

The tracking of vehicles carrying hazardous materials is a critical aspect of road safety. With "Navigard", strict restrictions are enforced on prohibited routes, minimizing the risk of accidents and environmental disasters. Advanced sensors and monitoring systems keep a close eye on these potentially dangerous cargos, ensuring that they are transported along the safest paths.For example, in the event of a chemical spill or a fire due to improper handling of hazardous materials, the "Navigard" platform can quickly alert the relevant authorities and emergency services. This allows for a more timely response and reduces the potential impact on public safety and the environment. By having a comprehensive system in place for hazardous materials monitoring, ASPI is taking a significant step towards creating a safer transportation ecosystem.

Enhanced Tunnel Safety

Artificial intelligence algorithms and advanced sensors work in tandem to detect vehicles driving against traffic and other hazards within tunnels longer than 500 metres. This is a crucial safety feature that helps prevent head-on collisions and other catastrophic events in the confined spaces of tunnels.Imagine a driver mistakenly entering a tunnel in the wrong direction. The "Navigard" system would immediately detect this and take immediate action to prevent a collision. The sensors would provide accurate information about the location and movement of vehicles, allowing for a more efficient and effective response from the authorities. This enhanced tunnel safety feature is a testament to ASPI's commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions for road safety.

Speed and Lane Use Monitoring

Radar, cameras, and a central processing system collaborate to ensure strict compliance with speed limits, lane discipline, and proper lane use for trucks. This helps in maintaining a smooth flow of traffic and reducing the likelihood of accidents caused by speeding or improper lane changes.For instance, if a truck is detected speeding or changing lanes without proper indication, the "Navigard" system would issue an alert to the driver. In addition, the system would also provide feedback to transportation authorities, allowing them to take appropriate action against errant drivers. By enforcing speed and lane use regulations, "Navigard" contributes to a more orderly and safe driving environment on Italian motorways.

Tachograph Data Analysis

The system systematically collects tachograph data from HGVs and analyzes it to identify irregularities in driving times and rest periods. This is essential for protecting compliant drivers and ensuring that they are not subjected to unfair practices.By monitoring tachograph data, ASPI can identify drivers who are working excessive hours or taking insufficient rest breaks. This not only helps in safeguarding the well-being of drivers but also contributes to overall road safety. The data analysis feature of "Navigard" provides valuable insights into the driving patterns of HGVs, enabling transportation authorities to take proactive measures to address any issues.

Toll Evasion Detection

Tools within the "Navigard" platform are designed to identify and deal with repeated cases of toll evasion. This helps in ensuring that toll operators are compensated fairly and that the revenue generated from tolls is used for the maintenance and improvement of motorway infrastructure.For example, the system can detect vehicles that attempt to bypass toll booths or use false identification. By implementing effective toll evasion detection measures, "Navigard" contributes to the financial sustainability of motorway operations and helps in maintaining the quality of services provided to users.The "Navigard" platform is an integral part of ASPI's Mercury Program for Smart Sustainable Mobility. It aligns with global trends in decarbonization, digitalization, and transport innovation, setting a new standard for road safety and regulatory compliance. By 2026, tunnel safety technologies will be fully operational, and the entire motorway network is expected to be covered by 2027.In addition to monitoring and enforcement, the "Navigard" platform also plays a vital role in raising awareness among drivers. ASPI and the State Police have launched numerous road safety campaigns to educate both young and adult drivers about the importance of safe driving. These campaigns aim to transform road safety from an obligation into a conscious choice, making every driver more responsible and vigilant on the road.“As the safety of workers and travelers is at the core of our Group’s strategy,” said Roberto Tomasi, CEO of ASPI, “technology serves as a valuable ally. Navigard represents a unique innovation in road safety, and we are proud to offer these tools to the State Police, strengthening our decades-long collaboration and translating it into concrete actions for the benefit of travelers.”

Understanding truck trends is a task that demands time and patience. It's not merely about grasping the reasons behind service occurrences; rather, adopting a long-term perspective on truck service requirements enables one to perceive maintenance operations in a way that was previously unimaginable. This profound insight often serves as the catalyst for in-depth feature stories filled with the latest connected truck technologies. In this particular instance, it holds true with absolute sincerity.

Unlock the Secrets of Truck Service with Decisiv

Seasonal Impact on Truck Service Operations

Decisiv has been sharing exclusive truck service data with us for over a year, meticulously charting millions of truck service transactions across different seasons and equipment duty cycles. This provides us with a valuable window into the truck service realm. For instance, in the second quarter of 2024 data, air conditioning (AC) and heating systems witnessed the most significant quarter-over-quarter jump, with an astonishing 71.8% increase. This clearly reflects the fleet managers' proactive preparations for the summer months. Subsequently, tire, wheel, and hub activities also surged significantly, marking a 15.7% rise in wheel-related services during the quarter.The seasonal variations have a profound impact on truck service operations, influencing various components and systems. It showcases the importance of staying attuned to these seasonal trends to ensure the smooth running of truck services.

Persistent Trend of Automated Manual Transmission Service

Year-over-year, in the second quarter of 2024, there was a notable 53.8% increase in manual transmission services and a 16.8% rise in automatic transmissions. This trend indicates the continuous evolution and significance of transmission systems in the trucking industry. There is more on the horizon, suggesting that these trends will continue to shape the future of truck service.Nick Pittinger, the vice president of data services at Decisiv, noted that there was a recall in May related to gear shifter communication with the transmission. However, no significant activity related to this recall has been observed yet. They plan to revisit this when the Q3 data is available.

Truck Service Staples: Engine and Aftertreatment Systems

The power plant remains the dominant force in service activity, accounting for 19% of all operations. Exhaust systems follow closely at 11%, and these components consistently rank among the most serviced areas across different vehicle age brackets.Pittinger emphasized that among the 25 VMRS systems tracked by Decisiv, the power plant continues to have the largest impact not only in terms of service volume but also in terms of cost share. This highlights the criticality of the power plant and its associated systems in truck service.

The Role of Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS)

The Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS) plays a crucial role in making it possible to track truck service trends. Decisiv has developed automated VMRS encoding, which utilizes machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze individual service operations. It interprets the information captured during the creation of a repair order and assigns appropriate VMRS codes to completed operations.Pittinger stated that they have incorporated their VMRS Code Key 31 system and encoding model directly into their platform. This has significantly enhanced the VMRS encoding process, increasing its completion rate from around 10% to 15% coming from the dealers to an impressive 65% to 70% of the operations flowing through their platform.Watch the video to gain a deeper understanding of the truck service data, as well as the latest developments in automated manual transmission (AMT), cab and sheet metal, and power plant service.

The victim's situation was such that no extrication was required, as reported by CTV News, which drew upon the information from the Calgary Fire Department that had also responded to the incident. This unfortunate event led to the tragic death of a worker right on the scene. On Monday, police tape remained in place, tightly wrapped around the semi-trucks bearing the company logo of Onway Transport Inc. CTV News has made efforts to reach out to Onway Transport in order to confirm whether the deceased was one of their employees. Currently, both Occupational Health and Safety and the Calgary Police Service are actively engaged in investigating the worker's death, aiming to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.

Unraveling the Mystery of the Onway Transport Incident

The Response of the Calgary Fire Department

The Calgary Fire Department's role in this incident was crucial. They arrived promptly and assessed the situation, determining that no extrication was necessary. Their expertise and quick response likely played a significant part in minimizing further harm. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of having reliable emergency services on standby.

They were able to provide immediate support and ensure the safety of the scene. Their actions demonstrated their professionalism and dedication in handling such tragic situations.

The Investigation by Occupational Health and Safety and the Calgary Police Service

The joint investigation by Occupational Health and Safety and the Calgary Police Service is of utmost importance. They are working together to gather all the necessary information and evidence to determine the cause of the worker's death. This collaborative effort shows the seriousness with which such incidents are taken and the commitment to ensuring the safety of workers.

By conducting a thorough investigation, they hope to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Their work will provide valuable insights into the safety measures and procedures that need to be in place at Onway Transport Inc. and other similar workplaces.

The Impact on Onway Transport Inc.

The death of an employee at Onway Transport Inc. has had a profound impact on the company. The police tape still wrapped around the semi-trucks serves as a visible reminder of the tragedy. Onway Transport is now facing the difficult task of dealing with the aftermath and ensuring the safety of their remaining employees.

This incident has also raised questions about the company's safety protocols and procedures. It is likely that they will be conducting a thorough review to identify any areas that need improvement and to prevent similar incidents from happening again.