Summer 2006

Microlise, the leading telematics and supply-chain management specialist, has marked the advent of the digital tachograph by launching a tachograph analysis system that handles both digital and analogue instruments. It forms part of the company's Microlise Fleet & Distribution portfolio, and is available either in stand-alone form, for use by the operator, or as a hosted service run by Microlise itself.

The company has tried to make the system slot into as many operating scenarios as possible, and analogue and digital cards can be read and translated via a number of tachograph reader options. These include combined analogue and digital readers based in the office; budget smartcard readers connected to an existing PC or network; and budget wireless analogue and smartcard readers that can be used in the field.

The wireless option is designed to allow customers with no or little in-house IT infrastructure to input tachograph data into the Microlise drivers' hours management software service remotely via GPRS link.

When implemented as part of the Microlise Fleet & Distribution solution, the system allows configurable real-time alerts and events to be transmitted to the transport management centre to inform back office users of infringements.

• Microlise is now an official distributor of TomTom WORK, the "connected navigation" solution with which satnav specialist TomTom is leading a thrust into the business market. This combines TomTom GO navigation technology with "black-box" tracking technology that communicates with a hosted, Web-based TomTom software suite called Webfleet.