Tag: street sweeper

  • Geotab launches public works solution for government fleets

    Geotab launches public works solution for government fleets

    Helps enable state and municipal government agencies to improve fleet operations and increases operational efficiencies

    Photo: THEPALMER/E+/Getty Images
    Photo: THEPALMER/E+/Getty Images

    Geotab, an Internet of Things (IoT) and connected transportation company, has launched its Geotab Public Works solution in North America.

    The all-in-one solution offers fleet managers full visibility into the operational data of all government vehicle types on a single platform,and provides the toolsets to effectively remain compliant, reduce costs and maintain road safety.

    Designed to help government agencies better manage vehicles such as salt spreaders, snowplows, street sweepers and waste management vehicles, the Geotab Public Works solution is integrated with an extensive number of spreader controllers.

    The solution is built to support key government business drivers including material management, compliance, accountability and liability. Providing public works departments with improved fleet management capabilities, fleets can utilize the solution to more accurately measure material usage, such as salt, allowing government fleet managers to feel more confident that community roads are not over- or underserviced.

    With Geotab Public Works, government fleets are better able to control costs while reducing the impact that excessive material usage can have on the environment.

    “Empowered by an industry-leading number of spreader controller integrations alongside various geospatial capabilities, the Geotab Public Works solution is designed to help government fleets optimize both their seasonal and ongoing fleet operations,” said Chris Jackson, associate VP of Business Development, Public Works and Smart Cities. “Spreader controllers provide fleet managers with rich insights that can help government agencies ensure that their fleets are adequately servicing roads without sacrificing the health of the environment.”

    Available as a configurable add-in on the MyGeotab platform, the Geotab Public Works solution allows governments, including municipalities of all sizes, to customize their database to help meet the specific needs of their fleet.

    In addition, users can add further value and customization through access to the Geotab Marketplace, an extensive portfolio of mobile apps, software add-ins and hardware add-ons that enable Geotab customers to further customize the fleet management solution.

    “As many governments continue to look for ways to optimize their operations, Geotab Public Works is the type of robust, scalable, secure solution that provides real value by giving government fleet managers and local constituents unprecedented visibility to their public services,” said Jean Pilon-Bignell, vice president of Business Development, Government and Smart Cities at Geotab. “With high-frequency, near real-time reporting, the Geotab Public Works solution allows governments to know where their fleets are and how they are operating at all times, enabling fleet managers to more efficiently leverage their fleet data to provide better and more transparent services to their residents.”

  • Autonomous street sweeper relies on Unicore precision

    Autonomous street sweeper relies on Unicore precision

    The sweeper Woxiaobai has been in service for a year. (Photo: Unicore)
    The sweeper Woxiaobai has been in service for a year. (Photo: Unicore)

    Fall is a beautiful time of year. But when the leaves drop, it means a lot of sweeping for most of us. Not so for the 200 campuses and parks in China using IdriverPlus’ WO series of unmanned sweepers.

    High-precision GNSS positioning plays an important role in making the autonomous units possible, providing real-time high-precision position, speed and time information.

    The sweeper in Beijing’s Haidian Park. (Photo: Unicore)
    The sweeper in Beijing’s Haidian Park. (Photo: Unicore)

    Unicore’s high-precision GNSS technology and their products’ high reliability have enabled IdriverPlus’ unmanned sweepers and logistics vehicles — China’s first mass-produced products in intelligent driving. In January, IdriverPlus received the green light to test self-driving cars in Beijing.

    Diagram: Unicore
    Diagram: Unicore

    Sweepers and logistics vehicles are not only used in open-sky areas, but also in complex environments shadowed by buildings or trees or experience multipath. These areas include school campuses, factory and science parks, and community squares.

    Complex environments result in different GNSS availability, reliability and convergence. In autonomous driving, the inputs the vehicle receives from GNSS and other sensors must be accurate and reliable.

    A customer removes her express package from the Wobida logistics vehicle. (Photo: Unicore)
    A customer removes her express package from the Wobida logistics vehicle. (Photo: Unicore)

    The UM482 module used by the IdriverPlus is characterized by dual antennas, compact dimensions, high performance and low cost, providing anti-jamming performance.

    Integrated with on-board MEMS and Unicore’s U-Fusion combination technology, the UM482 can effectively solve the disruption of positioning results caused by the loss of satellite signal, and further optimize the continuity and reliability of positioning and heading outputs in complex environments such as city canyons, buildings and tunnels.


    See also Age of acceptance: Retirement communities embrace driverless shuttles.