Feb/March 2007

If you want to use a tracking system to monitor the position of temperature-controlled vehicles, but have had trouble in the past integrating the telematics bits with the electronics of the refrigeration system itself, a solution launched in the US by Satamatics might be a clue to how you may be able to address this in future.

The company has launched what it calls a Reefermatics service, which initially is aimed at the US trucking, rail and container industries. As Satamatics is a UK company, there could be carry-over technology for UK users eventually.

The key to the system is said to be the fact that the firmware (inbuilt software in the Satamatics equipment) is compatible with the systems used by the reefer equipment. In fact it actually runs the refrigerated systems' microprocessor protocol in its firmware.

Carrier Transicold, the major refrigeration system supplier, has already signed up to the system. Satamatics' SAT-201 satellite modem is said to be the first to run Carrier's new refrigerated system third-party communications protocol in its firmware.

 

Under an agreement with Carrier, Satamatics can use its tracking and monitoring technology for extracting and transmitting pertinent data remotely to end-users from truck, trailer, and rail equipment employing Carrier's refrigerated systems.

The Reefermatics tracking system can provide essential information on a refrigerated trailer's status, location, temperature set point, fuel levels, battery and history. It can also start and control refrigerated systems remotely.

The system operators over the Inmarsat D+ satellite network, effectively giving full cross-border tracking capability where this arises.