There is a growing demand in the Africa and Middle East (AME) region for remote monitoring solutions from Cummins due to the increased prevalence of electronic engines that adhere to the latest international standards, according to Cummins AME Automotive and Electrification Leader Ms Rashi Gupta.

Remote monitoring solutions are critical for maximising up-time and reducing total cost of ownership of equipment.

Telematics is essentially an ‘add-on’ technology on an engine that transmits real-time information to the Cummins’ servers in the US. Here, extensive algorithms are applied to this raw data, from coolant temperature to engine power, to flag any fault codes, whereupon recommendations can be made to fix any issues as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible.

“We find that telematics is of huge benefit in remote locations such as in the AME region. It also promotes good driver behaviour. Instead of continuing to drive when a fault code is detected, the fleet manager can now contact the driver and inform him or her to take the vehicle to the nearest workshop,” Gupta highlights. A future development in Cummins’ telematics technology is to integrate it with products from Original Equipment Manufacturers, thereby offering customers a complete solution.

With about 100 000 vehicles running globally on Cummins’ telematics solutions at present, pilot trials are being undertaken in the AME region to demonstrate the value-add for customers.

The major advantage is that remote monitoring streamlines proactive maintenance, as a job card can already have been opened and the necessary parts procured even before the vehicle in questions arrives at the workshop.

The combination of electrification and telematics represents a paradigm shift in the AME region. “We do not believe that there will be one dominant technology in the future. We truly believe it will be a mix.

Diesel engines are still our bread and butter, but other fuel sources will take over, and the company that is able to offer a comprehensive solution is the one that will be able to operate in the future,” Gupta concludes.