Sat-nav should be adapted for freight haulage trucks
Date: 23 August 2007
Suppliers should produce satellite navigation systems that are more compatible with larger freight haulage vehicles.
The Freight Haulage Association (FTA) wants the technology to be improved so that logistics drivers are not given inappropriate instructions leading them the wrong way.
Most systems come with software that is geared towards cars and light vans, which are able to navigate normal routes safely and legally. However, the selected routes are often not appropriate for larger trucks and leave them unable to go forward or turn around.
The FTA has compiled a list of data items that could usefully be added to the software: vehicle width, height and length restrictions; HGV restrictions (such as pedestrianised areas); kerbside loading and unloading restrictions; time of day restrictions; recommended lorry routes; and the ability to specify larger trunk roads.
Other useful data would be the ability to predict possible access problems for lorries, the location of lorry parks and the location of weighbridges.
The FTA's James Hookham said: "There are too many stories of lorries getting stuck or using inappropriate roads because of sat-nav systems, and there is a lot more suppliers can do to make their systems more useful to the commercial vehicle driver.
"However, we must never forget that ultimately, whether in a lorry or a car, the driver should not just rely on instructions from his sat-nav, but must use his own common sense. Blindly following the advice of an inanimate computer is not always the best policy."
User Comments
No Comments