Legal Brief
Something New On Board of RAC Patrol Vans
Document Actions
The time taken by an RAC patrol to attend a breakdown has been drastically reduced due to a new mobile data terminal, enabling the RAC to control their patrol vehicles making them even more efficient than has been possible in the past.
|
|
|
|
The 21cm (8.4”) colour touch screen display fitted onto a customised cradle on the dashboard of around 2,000 RAC patrol vehicles, is known as a Skeye pad XSL. It sends and receives live data, with specific software which has been developed by Skeye and the RAC.
This enables the patrol to view information about the breakdown such as, the type of vehicle, an evaluation of the fault and the location of the breakdown.
Once the job is complete the Patrol sends a seven digit fault code via the Skeye pad which contains details of the breakdown including the cause and the repair carried out to the vehicle, this information is used to identify breakdown trends, which is then analysed, used to improve Patrol performance and fed back to vehicle manufacturers.
The need for wireless technology in the patrol vehicles was researched by Loughborough University in 2005 who carried out a study into the patrol environment. University researchers spent time on the road with patrols and their suggested solution was a flexible screen with a 21 cm colour touch display.
James Gibson, Strategic Development Manager for RAC UK, takes up the story. “The biggest thing we need at the roadside is as much information as possible to help the patrol do his job as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
“We need to reduce the working time he spends at the scene of a breakdown and prior to the installation of Skeye pad XSL’s we were not making the time progress that was required of the job.”
“It’s the ergonomics of the Skeye pad which is so important to us. The unit is not just for receiving work, but supports our patrols giving them access to all the technical and training information available in our knowledge-database”.
“The ergonomics of the Skeye pad are not only designed to help the patrol when the display screen is in the cradle, but also when it is hand held to help at the scene of a breakdown. This is particularly helpful when the patrol is under the bonnet of a vehicle, giving him the information he needs, exactly where he needs it!”
Hoeft & Wessel, manufacturer of the Skeye pad XSL, whose UK headquarters are in Swindon, say the latest generation of the innovative Skeye pad series combines ‘the strength of proven design with modern powerful functionality’.
Andreas Gimpel, Hoeft & Wessel’s Swindon-based UK Sales Manager, said: “The large 8.4” transmissive brilliant TFT display and its light weight makes the Skeye pad very ergonomically efficient.” Easy to understand applications and complex information is available anytime and anywhere as the RAC is experiencing.
“The skeye.pad is designed to meet the high requirements of mobile applications and with its integrated modules, e.g. WiFi, GPRS, Laserscanner, the XSL is ideally suited for mobile data capture. Efficiency and productivity improvements can be achieved within a very short space of time. The skeye.pad XSL software tools ensure easy set-up,” said Andreas. “Hoeft & Wessel also take care of maintenance and administration of the system as well as staging, operating and development.”
This enables the patrol to view information about the breakdown such as, the type of vehicle, an evaluation of the fault and the location of the breakdown.
Once the job is complete the Patrol sends a seven digit fault code via the Skeye pad which contains details of the breakdown including the cause and the repair carried out to the vehicle, this information is used to identify breakdown trends, which is then analysed, used to improve Patrol performance and fed back to vehicle manufacturers.
The need for wireless technology in the patrol vehicles was researched by Loughborough University in 2005 who carried out a study into the patrol environment. University researchers spent time on the road with patrols and their suggested solution was a flexible screen with a 21 cm colour touch display.
James Gibson, Strategic Development Manager for RAC UK, takes up the story. “The biggest thing we need at the roadside is as much information as possible to help the patrol do his job as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
“We need to reduce the working time he spends at the scene of a breakdown and prior to the installation of Skeye pad XSL’s we were not making the time progress that was required of the job.”
“It’s the ergonomics of the Skeye pad which is so important to us. The unit is not just for receiving work, but supports our patrols giving them access to all the technical and training information available in our knowledge-database”.
“The ergonomics of the Skeye pad are not only designed to help the patrol when the display screen is in the cradle, but also when it is hand held to help at the scene of a breakdown. This is particularly helpful when the patrol is under the bonnet of a vehicle, giving him the information he needs, exactly where he needs it!”
Hoeft & Wessel, manufacturer of the Skeye pad XSL, whose UK headquarters are in Swindon, say the latest generation of the innovative Skeye pad series combines ‘the strength of proven design with modern powerful functionality’.
Andreas Gimpel, Hoeft & Wessel’s Swindon-based UK Sales Manager, said: “The large 8.4” transmissive brilliant TFT display and its light weight makes the Skeye pad very ergonomically efficient.” Easy to understand applications and complex information is available anytime and anywhere as the RAC is experiencing.
“The skeye.pad is designed to meet the high requirements of mobile applications and with its integrated modules, e.g. WiFi, GPRS, Laserscanner, the XSL is ideally suited for mobile data capture. Efficiency and productivity improvements can be achieved within a very short space of time. The skeye.pad XSL software tools ensure easy set-up,” said Andreas. “Hoeft & Wessel also take care of maintenance and administration of the system as well as staging, operating and development.”
About TNN News Feed
