Daf, hitherto slow to enter the telematics arena, is making up for lost time by providing a telematics package as standard on all Euro-6 models purchased with a Daf Repair and Maintenance (R&M) contract.
The system, developed in partnership with telematics company Microlise, will be free, with the operator getting a weekly fleet summary covering basics such as fuel consumption.
Hauliers can upgrade this, at added cost, to get access to more information such as driving style, utilisation and live operational data. Daf also gets access to more information about the health and operation of the truck, and said this will help it tailor its R&M charges to individual customers more precisely in the long term.
Microlise also supplies MAN’s telematic’s package but said it had created a different, bespoke system for Daf. Daf dealers are responsible for installing the Microlise black box in new trucks as part of the pre-delivery preparation.
“We decided to work with Microlise since their system is fully proven and already in use with some of our customers,” said Daf’s UK marketing manager Phil Moon. “The experts at Microlise have been able to specifically tailor the system’s usability in a unique way for Daf customers, while retaining its capability to handle a vast range of additional logistics tools.”
Another upgrade made at the end of last month to Daf’s IT should benefit its Dafaid roadside breakdown service. A new link to the Dafcheck electronic maintenance records system means that via their tablet computers, technicians attending breakdowns now have access to a truck’s service records. “If they see a truck was in the workshop for a service or to rectify a fault, it may well be relevant to the reason for the breakdown,” explains Daf’s business services manager Tony Shepherd.