Apr 9, 2008

Truckers Get All the Electronic Comforts

Truck cabs and sleeper boxes are becoming so stuffed with great electronic communications and entertainment options, truckers may never want to leave. The new technologies enable vehicles to do more than ever before, including notifying drivers of mechanical or electronic problems; rerouting themselves around stopped traffic or congested highways; sending e-mail messages to notify owners of an equipment malfunction or collision; and entertaining drivers and passengers with music, movies and video games.

Delphi's data connectivity systems, which include consumer ports, cables, hubs and header connections, were on display at the 37th annual Mid-America Trucking Show. Truck cabs and sleeper boxes were equipped with consumer interfaces that allow drivers to download MP3 music files from iPods and pen drives and listen to them through the vehicle's audio system as well as view images stored on photo cards, play video games, charge cell phones and connect laptops. This greatly enhances the livability of the vehicles and may even help transportation companies attract and retain drivers, according to Tim Smigiel, growth manager, Delphi Electrical/Electronic Architecture Commercial Truck Group. In a market with a shortage of long-distance drivers, this can be a significant advantage, he said.

The new systems can accommodate multiple consumer interfaces and link various systems within the vehicle, transforming cabs and sleeper units into multifunctional, on-the-road communications/entertainment centers. Interfaces between the electrical system and external consumer equipment can be located throughout the vehicle and may accommodate audio/video, telematics and global positioning exchange, including standard USB ports for iPods and MP3 players, RCA jacks for video games, analog ports for headphones and SD slots for photo cards.

Delphi's Data Connectivity Systems can also be used to connect systems that track fleet vehicles and trailers, identify the location of stolen vehicles, provide remote diagnostics and satellite navigation, send and receive real-time computer data, and notify the driver that the temperature inside the trailer he's towing is rising and that the refrigeration unit is running low on fuel. They are not yet able to inform the driver if his wife is going out with another man while he’s away, however.