Platform Science and Samsung Electronics America have expanded their collaboration to now include the deployment of Platform Science’s Remote Platform Management (RPM) products on Samsung Galaxy Tab Active devices.
Fleets using the enterprise-level ruggedized Galaxy Tab mobile devices can now run the entire RPM product portfolio, which includes mobile device management (MDM), mobile application management (MAM) and device-to-vehicle connectivity all built into Platform Science’s open telematics platform.
“The growing use of smartphones, tablets and mobile apps in-vehicle has been a key enabler of digital transformation within the trucking industry,” said Jake Fields, co-founder and CTO of Platform Science. “While mobile usage expands capabilities of fleets and drivers, the increase in mobile devices and apps being used results in a more fragmented data and user experience. We built a Fleet MDM focused on the transportation sector to strengthen a fleet’s operations through the easy management of driver tablets, the apps on those tablets and the interaction they both have with vehicle and driver. The fleets we’ve partnered with require safe, ruggedized equipment for drivers’ day-to-day activities, which is how Samsung got selected as the tablet of choice, coupled with RPM.”
According to Platform Science, RPM allows fleets to dynamically deploy the right applications to individual drivers and devices at any time and ensures that they are paired with the right vehicles. Uniquely, RPM ensures that each application is hosted locally at the edge when low latency is critical or 24/7 access is required, or in the cloud, when real-time processing is not essential.
The Galaxy Tab Active line offers fleets an option between installing permanent hardware devices and requiring drivers to manage applications on smaller smartphones or their own devices. The combined offering gives fleet managers the tools to integrate and share data between apps used on individual driver devices, and tie them into back-end systems and vehicle sensors.
“Samsung built our Tab Active lineup to support businesses requiring ruggedness in a sleek form factor, as they undergo digital transformation,” said Taher Behbehani, head of mobile B2B Division, senior vice president and general manager for Samsung Electronics America. “Working with innovative partners to optimize business mobility across industries is a key part of Samsung’s B2B strategy. This collaboration brings together our best-in-class ruggedized tools with Platform Science’s innovative enterprise fleet management solution to deliver next-level mobile performance for transportation applications.”
Samsung purpose-builds the Galaxy Tab Active for transportation applications and just introduced the Active3 in September. The device is MIL-STD-810H certified with enhanced shock absorption to withstand drops of up to 5 feet with an inbox protective cover. It is equipped with an Exynos 9810 processor, 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. The long-lasting battery supports fast charging through USB or POGO pins. It is “touch sensitive” to allow for usage while wearing gloves.
Werner Enterprises, which announced this summer it would roll out Platform Science’s solutions across its fleet by the first quarter of 2021 as part of its Werner EDGE platform, will use the Samsung tablets. Werner has said that the Platform Science platform will allow for easy deployment of applications and services that support its unique operation.
“As a driver-first company, Werner remains focused on developing technology-rich solutions that improve efficiency and safety for our drivers,” explains Danny Lilley, VP of Product and Engineering for Werner Enterprises. “Along with our innovation initiative Werner EDGE, partnerships with Samsung and Platform Science further our unwavering commitment to our drivers and moving the industry forward.”
In fact, it is that customization approach that Platform Science is designed to enable.
The Platform Science connected vehicle platform technology does just that, allowing for the development, download and inclusion of custom-built apps or third-party-built apps on a single platform. The system is designed to allow users to manage, track and configure in one place all the smart devices in their vehicles, including tablets, telematics and even individual technology from third-party vendors. Having this platform on the truck allows the truck user to install the technology solutions that best match the driver’s job or the truck’s application.
“We’ve all been trained through our smartphones to connect and disconnect [apps],” Kennedy told FreightWaves earlier this year. “Imagine you are an [executive] of a large truck fleet and you now can do for the drivers what you can do with the phone in your pocket. Our goal was to make it that easy.”
Schneider National (NYSE: SNDR) was an early adopter of the Platform Science technology, and Shaleen Devgun, executive vice president and chief information officer for the carrier, told FreightWaves it was one of the most attractive things about Platform Science.
“We’ve been on their platform for a while,” he said. “We’re happy to say we were one of their earlier customers and we’ve worked on the product. … The Platform Science approach to this whole piece has been very unique. That’s what attracted us to this. The fact is no one before Platform Science stepped back and said the real value is taking pieces from across this value chain and connecting them with other pieces and bringing them together. This whole process was unique and is still unique.”
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