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On the road with AVL
Once a truck gets out on the road, anything can happen. To
deal with the unexpected, Indian companies are deploying automated vehicle locator
systems, says Chitra Padmanabhan
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Rising awareness about the use of GIS and GPS coupled
with the need to spruce up service levels is likely to propel the demand
for AVL solutions, says SYED Nazir Razik |
Fully loaded cash vans, deployed to load cash in ATMs, always face the risk
of being robbed. However, forward-thinking banks such as ICICI Bank are using
technology to counter this problem. The bank uses automated vehicle locator
systems (AVL) on its vans to track the movement of the vehicles, and, if a van
faces a robbery attempt or is found in a location where there is no branch,
the administrator can remotely immobilise it. The report status generated by
an AVL system provides the van’s speed and sends an SMS alert to the administrator
if any of the vehicle’s doors are left open while on the move.
Serum Institute of India, the India’s largest exporter of vaccines is
a big user of AVL. The company regularly uses refrigerated vans to transport
serum from Pune to Bombay airport. It wanted to monitor the temperature in the
van that has to be maintained at up to four degrees Celsius failing which the
serum is likely to get spoilt.
AVL systems aren’t limited to tracking vehicle movement. They are also
being used to counter pilferage. For instance, a leading oil company was suffering
from shrinkage—the volume of oil in its containers reduced significantly
by the time it reached journey’s end. With an AVL system deployed, the
company regularly receives SMS alerts on oil levels in containers at various
stages of the journey.
Finding the way
 Uncertainty regarding goods
in transit is a big factor in convincing businesses to fork out cash for AVL
systems. Although every logistics environment has a clear workflow in place,
when delays occur, they are usually due to factors that are beyond a manager’s
control. Consider this. A logistics manager of a FMCG company dispatches a truck
from Mumbai carrying five tons of soap to its Pune warehouse. En route the truck
has an accident. The logistics manager realises something has gone wrong only
when the client says that the vehicle has not reached. If an AVL system is onboard,
the location of the vehicle can be pinpointed immediately and accurately.
And in the case of expensive stuff like oil or gas, the risk is higher. For
example, Praxair, one of the biggest players in the Indian gas market, has a
fleet of 110 tankers that are used for bulk distributing gas. The company has
put in place a Logistics Management System (LMS) from Wipro. As a system integrator
Wipro developed the LMS and integrated it with Praxair’s GPS based AVL
system that helps the company keep track of where its fleet of vehicles is at
any given point of time.
GIS + GPS = AVL
In a business where delivering goods on time is critical,
AVL systems are being used to manage logistics requirements. Typically, AVL
systems give a real-time view of the exact route of the vehicle in addition
to dispatch status by using a combination of GIS (Geographic Information System)
and GPS (Global Positioning System). A vehicle’s location can be determined
and it can be rerouted if necessary to provide timely delivery to a nearby customer.
Additionally AVL systems can help solve problems such as pilferage or trucks
being held up due to non-payment of Octroi. For instance, Textan Chemicals received
regular complaints from customers about delays in delivery. In spite of carrying
out detailed enquiries with various departments including production and logistics
the company could not find a solution. Finally, it decided to deploy a GIS/GPS
based automated vehicle locator system which gave the company details of the
time taken by a vehicle to move from one location to another and the route taken.
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As the level of AVL system adoption grows, prices
are likely to come down. As of now customers are willing to deploy these
devices only in select vehicles, says Quentin Desouza |
Telecom operators such as Reliance and Bharti have been quick to tap this opportunity
as fleet operators can use the reach of the cellular network to monitor vehicle
movement. Reliance recently launched its own AVL system in India, it is currently
being used by Reliance Logistics. “There are close to 5,000 vehicles at
Reliance Logistics and this product is currently being used by around 40 vehicles,”
says a company spokesperson. Though the product is yet to be launched the company
is likely to price it at Rs 12,000 with an additional service charge of Rs 500
per month. The service will be built around Reliance’s CDMA network. Leveraging
on its vast GSM network, Bharti Broadband offers AVL services to fleet vehicles,
public transportation systems, delivery trucks, courier service companies and
car rental agencies to track vehicles around the clock.
 “Every
vehicle is fitted with a mobile radio receiver, a GPS receiver, modem and antenna,
which connects to a base radio consisting of a PC and a GPS receiver and interface,”
says Dheeraj Kumar who is head for overseas business, Bioenable Technologies.
The GIS is integrated with the GPS, where the data, after being exported to
a GIS can be viewed on a digital map of the area being traversed by the vehicle.
The use of GIS helps in knowing the route taken by a vehicle.
For a logistics manager, a simple Web interface provides the vehicle’s
route. “A user logging on to our website has a password that lets him
track the vehicle online. Any company wanting to adopt this system is charged
on a per vehicle basis including all the equipment fitted in the vehicle,”
says Quentin Desouza who is the chief executive officer at Quantum Designs.
The company has a roster of clients using its systems including ICICI Bank and
the Serum Institute of India.
Still a maze
These are still early days for AVL in India. The primary reason for this is
that GPS devices that are attached to vehicles are quite expensive. Since a
typical AVL system is a combination of GIS, GPS and cellular technology, the
growth of this market is directly dependent on development in related areas.
“As the level of adoption grows, prices are likely to come down. As of
now we see that customers are willing to deploy this device only in select vehicles,”
says Desouza of Quantum Designs. Most companies typically charge approximately
Rs 30,000 to 35,000 per vehicle.
Another big obstacle is the nature of Indian cellular networks. The telecom
sector is divided into circles and there are different players for each network
and this increases the complexity of data transmission from a moving vehicle.
It also restricts the operational capabilities of a system when the vehicle
moves from one telecom circle to another.
“Rising awareness about the use of GIS and GPS coupled with the need to
spruce up service levels due to competition is likely to propel demand for AVL
solutions,” says Syed Nazir Razik who is the director for South East Asia
at Mecosoft Systems. With the entry of global players, competition in this sector
has increased manifold giving an added thrust to technological initiatives.
In this scenario, AVL is a technology that will have a profound impact on the
core business of any logistics company.
| Streamlining Disaster Management |
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The police can make good use of AVL systems. Today when a caller dials
100 for the police control room, the attendant notes down the complaint
on paper and passes it on to the in-house wireless operator who in turn
contacts the police jeep nearest to the scene of crime. The police control
room is thrown into chaos when a major disaster happens as the attendant
gets up to 50 calls from the same location. In such a scenario, the use
of an AVL system can help streamline operations and dispel confusion.
Rolta India has developed a system called CACAGS (Computer Assisted Call
taking and GIS system), which uses telecommunication networks and GPS
technology to improve the efficacy of a police daily operations room and
mobile patrol.
When an AVL system is used by the cops, the control room consists of
a computer terminal with a detailed digital map showing every by lane,
building and landmark in the area. The telephone operator has a caller-ID
phone with immediate access to address and map data that helps pinpoint
the location of a reported incident. This location is entered either manually
or through a drop-down menu, and details are automatically time-stamped
and recorded in a central database and forwarded to the wireless operator
at the AVL station. “The wireless operator can assign a police vehicle
to attend to an incident using all the information collected by the person
taking the call,” says A Jagdish, senior manager for geo engineering
and tech marketing at Rolta India. The map provides a real-time display
of the police vehicles and the location of all current incidents and is
synchronised to the information present in the forms. Each police vehicle
is represented by a user configurable icon and displayed on the digital
map in its correct geographical position as determined by a GPS unit installed
in the vehicle.
The dispatcher can analyse the gravity of the situation, identify and
locate vehicles near the crime scene and direct them to it. The dispatcher
can also identify police stations on the large-scale digital map and inform
them about the crime scene by phone. Rolta India is in talks with several
police departments across the country to implement AVL systems.
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| Company |
AVL |
| ICICI Bank |
Monitors vans used for loading and unloading cash
from ATMs. |
| Serum Institute of India |
Keeps track of temperature in its refrigerated vans
and tracks their movement. |
| Textan Chemicals |
Curbs malpractices associated with delays in delivery. |
| Praxair |
Pinpoints location and movement of its fleet. |
| Misuse of trucks |
Truck drivers sometimes pick up goods from a third
party and make money by privately supplying said goods. This results in
trucks getting stuck due to non-payment of duties. In such a case, the owner
of the vehicle is at a loss regarding delays in dispatch. By using AVL,
the owner of the truck can accurately determine a vehicle's location and
take necessary action to curb such malpractices. |
| Checking the adulteration of goods |
Oil companies face the problem of adulteration in
transit. This gets reflected through the reduction in weight and volume
of oil when it is delivered. With an AVL system sensor in the tanker, the
owner can check density and volume of the oil throughout the journey and
also monitor the number of times the tanker halts en route. |
| Retrieving vehicles from rough terrain |
Many a time vehicles plying through desert areas
or difficult terrain run the risk of breaking down and being abandoned.
Once a vehicle gets lost it becomes very hard to track. AVL systems can
help retrieve lost vehicles. |
chitra@expresscomputeronline.com
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