- The telematics system from ZF can be adapted to the individual needs of transport companies using an app concept.
- New platform release for greater performance and more functions
- Openmatics “Development Portal” supports professional and easy app development
Openmatics will present its attractive service portfolio for fleet owners at the Busworld Kortrijk in Belgium from October 18, 2013. It focuses on new platforms that are easier to use and offer more functions for end customers and software developers.
Openmatics, the open and flexible telematics platform, consists of four core components: firstly, an onboard unit in each vehicle to read out the data; secondly, a web portal to display data and administer the drivers, vehicles, and apps – this can be used on any computer, smartphone, or tablet with an Internet connection. Added to this are the telematics applications from different providers which are designed in a standardized app architecture as well as a shop where you can obtain these apps.
The significant advantages for transport companies include a high degree of flexibility and the fact that it can be extended – which is guaranteed by the app concept. The system is also entirely independent from the vehicle manufacturer: Openmatics can be installed in all kinds of buses and trucks and is therefore particularly suitable for mixed fleets.
Advanced platform
In addition to a number of bus-specific applications (see press information on “Openmatics Bus Apps”), Openmatics will also present a new platform at the Busworld Kortrijk. Previously, the focus with portal releases had mainly been placed on the front-end functions visible to the end customer. With the new platform release, Openmatics combines the different components of the Openmatics system for the first time. Apart from the portal itself, the term “platform” contains many other functions and services including, for example, the OWI (Openmatics Webservice Interface) interface. This is now available with a read and write function and facilitates the data exchange with other systems and their connection to Openmatics. Thanks to the new platform release and the hyper dataset, Openmatics was able to significantly reduce the data volume which is exchanged between the web portal and the vehicle, thus leading to cost savings. Another highlight of this new platform release is the opportunity to be able to choose maps from OpenStreetMap or Google Maps. Not least, the improved role concept enables specific vehicles, fleets, and apps to be assigned to different portal users.
New developer portal
A new Openmatics portal especially created for app developers went live in September 2013. With the introduction of this “developer portal”, Openmatics makes software development even easier, as all necessary information, tools, and support are available at one central point.
In addition to technical specifications, instructions, and application examples, the developer portal also offers everything worth knowing about the overall Openmatics system, i.e. the technologies and tools used and required for professional app development. The latter is also enabled by the current software development kit of Openmatics (SDK version 2.1); registered users can download it free of charge from the developer portal. The respective most recent version of the SDK documentation provides an interactive, complete information package with tutorials for app development at Openmatics. If required, third party developers can directly ask for support via e-mail or use the forum integrated in the portal to share ideas and information. The developer portal is supported by the Openmatics experts who give qualified answers to all questions.
With the launch of the new developer portal and the continuous extension of the SDK, Openmatics expands its current partner and app developer network and thus increases the range of applications for Openmatics customers, namely transport operators, forwarding companies, and other fleet operators.
Learn more about the functions and possibilities offered by Openmatics at Busworld Kortrijk from October 18 to 23, 2013 at ZF’s trade fair booth (hall 6, no. 603).
