There are several advantages to being equipped with a Geotab cloud-based ELD solution.
- No Bluetooth
- No power source
- Compatibility
- Compliant
- No cellular coverage required
Benefits of the infonuagic ELD solution
If the mobile device encounters hardware-related problems and cannot turn on, or if it encounters software problems (for example, the device crashes due to a manufacturer's software defect) the cloud-based ELD solution will not lose any data.
None of these scenarios will impact the driver's logs, as the GO device installed in the vehicle will continue to record accurate speed and engine information regardless of the status of the mobile device.
The driver can switch to paper logs in this scenario, but as soon as they receive a new tablet or mobile device, they will have a full history of automatically generated logs. No administrator intervention is required to populate the status logs during any period in which a mobile device might fail.
No bluetooth needed
Another advantage of the cloud-based DCE solution is that no pairing process is required for the system to work. Solutions that rely on pairing a device, through a wireless technology like Bluetooth, have a major drawback: connection issues.
Bluetooth and similar technologies may not be reliable enough for these critical circumstances. Drivers should be trained on what to do if the wireless connection fails. There should also be an alternative procedure that the driver can follow in case the connection cannot be repaired quickly.
One reason for this is the imperfect interoperability between different chipsets. There are hundreds of Bluetooth chips from different manufacturers, which can cause wireless interference.
No power source needed
The requirement to have tablets plugged into a power source is also unreliable. The connector will wear out over time, especially if the tablet is connected and removed repeatedly.
If, for some reason, the power is not properly connected, the tablet will eventually go into sleep mode and essential services running on the tablet will no longer function, creating the possibility that the driver will become non-compliant.
Another issue is how mobile operating systems handle background tasks. Manufacturers severely restrict the ability of applications to run continuously in the background in order to limit the power consumption of all applications so that batteries don't run out quickly. If every application on the system was allowed to run in the background, the device's batteries would not last very long and the devices would be unreliable.
Running an ELD process in the background on iOS puts the software vendor in violation of Apple's terms. Vendors risk having their ELD applications rejected at any time.
The cloud-based ELD solution simply triggers the device to wake up when a driver notification is required. This means that the mobile device uses a fraction of the power of similar solutions and does not need to be powered to perform ELD calculations.
Compatibility
With a wired solution, hardware compatibility becomes a challenge. With the cloud-based ELD solution, devices on Android and iOS platforms (and others in the future) can be supported with ease.
The goal is for the driver to connect to the app and get on with their day without having to worry about wires or hardware connectors.
Conformity
The primary reason Geotab requires all mobile devices to be connected to the cloud is to maintain accurate logs. When a driver drives vehicle A, and then has to drive vehicle B, all hours-of-service logs created for vehicle A must be transferred to the ELD used on the second vehicle. This transfer of logs at any time is a requirement of the ELD regulations.
No cellular coverage required
The Geotab Drive application constantly receives updates from the MyGeotab server following the initial connection. Even if the vehicle goes in and out of cellular network coverage, Geotab Drive retrieves and stores data whenever connections are made throughout the day.
Based on detailed analysis of real-world data by Geotab's Big Data team, the likelihood of a device remaining consistently out of cellular coverage for long periods of time is rare. The most likely scenario is that a device moves in and out of coverage as it moves.
If the vehicle is out of cellular coverage, the GO device stores all recorded data, as well as the date and time information, in its internal memory. Once the vehicle enters an area with cellular coverage, the GO device transmits its stored data to the server. The server then coordinates the data and sends any missing parts to the Drive application.
The Geotab Drive application is designed to work offline. Outside of coverage, Geotab Drive can be used to access all logs up to the point where the vehicle is taken out of coverage, and it can still be shown to law enforcement. Within minutes of any coverage, the missing data is added to the application and becomes available for all future offline periods. This approach minimizes the impact of uneven coverage.
The offline capabilities of the Cloud ELD solution combined with Geotab's analysis of cell coverage areas affecting actual fleets, means that the customer can be confident that the Cloud ELD solution offers the best and most reliable ELD service.