Tracker urges fleets to get involved in Air Car trial

Tracker, part of the Tantalum Corporation, is urging fleet managers to become part of a free six-month trial and contribute to research which aims to reduce air pollution.

Tantalum was recently awarded funding by Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles to develop Air Car, a solution to estimate accurately real-time NOx emissions and help fleet managers drive down these emissions, saving fuel and operational costs.

Tracker will install telematics units to vehicles’ OBD and offer a short training course for fleet managers to maximise the benefits of the data they will receive.

Fleet Managers will receive access to cloud-based fleet management software, which will present them with:

Real-time CO2 and NOx emissions, location, data reporting, driver behaviour and crash reporting will be included, free of charge
Vehicle location and real-times and historic trip data
Reporting daily, weekly, monthly, including idling time and utilisation rates
Accurate fuel usage by vehicle, by individual trip including wasted fuel
Vehicle health – notification of fault codes
Crash notification
Driver behaviour analytics

Tracker’s units can be connected to any vehicle’s on-board computer, making it a hassle-free proposition for fleet managers considering participation in the Air Car trial, says Tracker.

Emissions data streams combined with the vehicle’s location will inform drivers, fleet owners of the real environmental impact of individual vehicles. This data will give fleet managers the data and tools to improve driver behaviour resulting in lower operational costs and environmental impact.

NOx emissions lead to NO2, a poisonous gas that irritates the lungs and affects children’s lung development and the Government published its latest action plan to reduce these emissions from transport on May 5.

The Air Car trial starts in December and is a major part of the overall project. Commercial fleets, which take part in the trial will play a vital role in testing and fine tuning the solution, as well as benefiting from improved fleet efficiency and the full suite of Tracker’s telematics offering.

Imperial College London will assist in developing and verifying the technology to accurately estimate NOx emissions. It is anticipated to reduce NOx emissions by as much as 50% through advising improved driving style.

“It is our belief that companies, local authorities and the public all want to help clean up the air we breathe,” adds David Wilson, Tracker’s chief operating officer. “Towns and cities across the UK have dangerous levels of NO2, significantly over legally allowed limits, and increasing urbanisation and congestion are only set to magnify this problem.

“Air Car will be able to help deliver much needed emissions reduction in a smarter, cheaper and fairer way than some of the alternatives that are being considered.”

Fleets are being recruited from the public and commercial sectors as part of this trial, which will run within London and other UK cities where Clean Air Zones are to be established.

Businesses interested in taking part can register online at www.tantalumcorporation.com/air-car/.