Trackunit working on software development kit

David Swan, Senior Vice President of Products at Trackunit. (Photo: Trackunit)

Telematics specialist Trackunit said it is working on the development of a Trackunit Software Development Kit to make it easy for OEMs, rental companies and contractors to adopt its telematics platform.

David Swan, Senior Vice President of Products at Trackunit, speaking to International Rental News at Bauma, said he hoped the development kit would be available within two years and that “it is a big part of our product development activity.”

He said the tools would allow companies to add Trackunit’s telematics platform to their existing ERP or software systems independently of Trackunit’s IT staff. He likened the tools to a marketplace of Apps, with customers and third party developers able to choose the features they require.

Swan, who helped develop Skyjack’s telematics application before joining Trackunit, said it was the company’s ambition to be “the platform of the industry”, with solutions that are scalable and accessible for companies whatever their operating model.

The company said it was seeing a migration downwards in the size of assets covered by telematics.

In the past, equipment owners have tended to use telematics on assets valued at more than €10,000, but new technology options were allowing smaller and non-powered assets to be connected.

He said more tool manufacturers were likely to follow Hilti’s lead in installing tags to their tools during manufacture. Trackunit itself has recently added its Spot telematics solution for non-powered equipment. This is in addition to its Kin system, which is primarily an aftermarket solution.

He also addressed the issue of cybersecurity and telematics, saying that Trackunit had a team of engineers that were constantly addressing security issues, issuing software patches and updates when required. He said telematics was not a vulnerability “when it’s managed right.”