TomTom has long been a byword for consumer satnav. Now TomTom is once again set to transform the face of in-vehicle communication, this time in the global business world with the world’s first IoT (Internet of Things) vehicle box, the TomTom BRIDGE Hub.
This is the latest development in TomTom’s family of BRIDGE Platform and Terminal products for businesses, enabling them to run the BRIDGE software on external devices, including professional devices, tablets and in-vehicle displays. Jeroen Visser, TomTom BRIDGE Product Manager spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
The new TomTom BRIDGE Hub is accessible to Smartphones running on Android 6, through a server, via the USB or Wifi. It can also be accessed with ruggedised tablets, professional scanners and embedded devices fitted in the vehicle. Users can also speed up their business with 4G/LTE connectivity and fully integrate vehicle data into daily processes through the CAN Bus interface for more in-depth insights into their vehicle than ever before.
The TomTom BRIDGE terminal concept is already in the public domain. It launched at the end of 2014 in many different verticals, including the OEM aftermarket and transport and logistics. The latest implementation, the TomTom BRIDGE Hub, is scheduled to launch commercially in the final quarter of this year. Before that, to allow for the target customers’ decision making process, it is currently being demo’ed, first at the recent CV show and then to potential adopters in transport and logistics companies, emergency services and construction.
Jeroen Visser is the main interface between TomTom’s engineering and sales and marketing teams. He told W&LN, “We had a good response at the CV Show. The established customers for TomTom BRIDGE valued its flexibility and openness.”
The TomTom BRIDGE Hub is built for life on the road and is equipped with TomTom Navigation, LifetimeTraffic and real-time maps. As with other TomTom products, the maps and other information are still available off line: the system functions even without connectivity. This new hardware is a unique tool designed for businesses to bring them more freedom by providing a display agnostic alternative. It works with any type of business architecture, keeping users connected to their vehicles and using the latest technology available on the market.
A gateway for vehicle data, the TomTom BRIDGE Hub enables mobile workers to use the devices they already have, hence it is a lower investment in terms of connecting vehicle and back office. This is an all-in-one offering at a competitive price, with a one-off payment covering the lifetime of the device. Software updates can be carried out via wifi, an SD card or the cellular network. The TomTom BRIDGE Hub will be available in the UK, throughout the EU and also in Norway, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, North America and South Africa.
“We expect to see significant business out of this,” concludes Jeroen Visser. “Some very substantial names have adopted TomTom Bridge and many current customers and lots of new ones are showing interest in the new BRIDGE Hub.”
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