Choosing an In-Cab Terminal

When Bartec Systems installed their first mobile computing solution for a waste industry client in the mid-1990's, the available hardware was so limited we had to design and make our own!  15 years later and it seems that every delivery driver, haulage truck or service vehicle is being fitted with some form of mobile technology.  With the continued expansion of high-speed mobile networks, increasing costs of running vehicles and the continued need for live business information this trend is set to continue.  

Customers now have an immense choice of hardware and software platforms, but the wide diversity of operations in the waste, recycling and street scene environments means that one-size is unlikely to fit all.

There are some very broad questions to answer before looking at specific models or devices.

Fixed or Portable?

Local authority front-line services cover a wide range of activities.  In some cases, for example domestic refuse collection, the driver will commonly stay in the vehicle and all the work happens at the vehicle. In others, for example grounds maintenance, the vehicle is transport and the actual work takes place some distance away.

Advantages of Fixed Terminals

• No charging or power issues
• VOSA-compliant installation, safe and ergonomic
• Cannot be lost
• Better weak-signal performance for both GPS and data
• Cannot be switched off, guaranteeing vehicle tracking
• Can interface with vehicle systems such as OBD, video, weighing etc 

Disadvantages of In-Cab Terminals

• Cannot be used away from the vehicle, particularly for photography or signature capture
• Susceptible to theft when vehicle left parked or if driver works around the vehicle (e.g. doorstep collections, grab lorries)
• Difficult to implement in spot-hire or temporary vehicles

There is certainly no single 'best solution' and we recommend that each functional area is considered separately to determine whether a fixed in-cab solution is preferable to a mobile computer.  The key questions are normally whether the functionality on the device is required at the point of working.  For this reason we normally find that mobile computers offer more flexibility for street-scene and grounds maintenance as they allow photo capture and the ability to accurately capture location information and data for NI195, FlyCapture and other key transactions.  For waste collection vehicles, sweepers and gully-cleaners where there is often a requirement to interface with vehicle systems and the driver rarely works outside the cab, the advantages of the fixed terminal become more compelling.

Big is Beautiful?

Having decided that an in-cab terminal is preferable to a mobile solution, the next question is how big should it be.  There are a number of factors to consider...

VOSA Compliance

In a commercial vehicle, the device should be fitted such that it does not impede the driver's vision.  That rules out any 'stick on the windscreen' solution (even tucked away in a corner of the screen) and usually implies that the device should be installed either on the dashboard or above the driver's head in the sun-visor.  The chosen device must be compact enough (both diagonally and in depth) to fit the particular vehicles.  It must also fit in with any existing vehicle systems, such as the reversing camera, body control unit or radio.

Ergonomics

In a commercial vehicle the driver may not be able to comfortably reach the full extent of the dashboard from a comfortable seated position as they would in a car.  A small screen as commonly found on a satellite navigation device may simply be too small to comfortably read and operate at arms length for a full working day.  

Conversely, the larger the screen the greater the light output and potential for driver distraction, particularly at dusk or dawn when ambient light is low.

Applications

The software that will be deployed to the devices is also an important factor in choosing the size of the device.  For simple satellite navigation and messaging functions a small screen may be adequate, but if detailed maps or additional data entry is required then a higher resolution display and/or greater screen size may be desirable.  It may also be useful to select a device with dedicated hardware keys to access common functions, as these are easier to operate and more tactile than on-screen keys. 

The inevitable conclusion is that compromise is required, because the ideal solution is a large screen in a small device!  In our experience the ideal device size for a commercial vehicle installation is approximately 7 inches screen diagonal, supported by a small number of hardware buttons to access frequent functions.

One-box or Two?

In-vehicle computers are available either as combined screen and computer units or as two-box systems, rather like a desktop PC, with the screen being separate to the main computer.

Advantages of a Combined Unit

• Simpler to install
• More likely to offer physical buttons
• Easier to swap faulty or damaged units
• Less cabling and hence potentially more reliable

Advantages of Separate Units

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