Navman Wireless rolls out reporting application

GPS fleet management technology company Navman Wireless has rolled out a free over the air software update to its vehicle tracking software, OnlineAVL2.

The Dynamic Dashboard platform was a reporting application that analysed vehicle trends such as idling times, distance travelled and overspeeds, vice president Asia Pacific Ian Daniel said, building on Navman Wireless’ existing technology.

The tool, which has been rolled out in New Zealand and Australia, provided this data in graphical form, through the use of widgets, he said, and in real time, giving a manager more flexibility, visibility and information.

“The dashboard in there with the widgets just puts a whole lot of the good real time nitty gritty information right in front of a manager.”

The tool collated vehicle data across a fleet in user friendly bar or pie graphs, allowing business owners to identify and address issues as they occurred, including inefficient vehicle use, Navman Wireless said, and was customisable.

Mr Daniel said it had been developed in response to market needs.

“They need something else that’s more user friendly with some drill down applications to get decent information quickly.”

The software update was just a start, he said, with more information to be layered into the dashboard in a series of free over-the-air updates.

The company recently signed a four year exclusive deal with Telstra in Australia to make its GPS fleet management technology available to Telstra customers under a monthly repayment option.

Mr Daniel said Telstra had liked the software and feedback from the market had been good.

What’s the story?

As NBR previously reported, Navman Wireless is one of three remnants of Navman, the GPS systems company founded in 1986 by NBR Rich Lister Peter Maire, who was valued at $65 million this year.

Sold in 2004 to Brunswick by Mr Maire, Navman was split into three parts when Brunswick decided to re-focus on its core business.

Norwegian company Navico picked up the marine GPS section of the business.

Taiwanese company Mitac bought the consumer in-car navigation business.

The third part of Navman was the commercial fleet tracking division, Navman  Wireless, which was bought out by senior management in 2007, backed by Chicago private equity firm Prairie Capital.

Asia Pacific vice-president Ian Daniel, who was involved in the buyout, said in November that at the time of the buyout, Navman Wireless had about 120 staff globally and about 50 of those were based in New Zealand.

He said as of November the company had about 300 staff globally with about 100 based in Zealand.