Navistar upgrades OnCommand for real-time integration

Navistar upgrades OnCommand for real-time integration

by Karl Sorensen

This month, Navistar announced upgrades to its OnCommand Connection platform, which the company unveiled last year at the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference and Exhibition. At that time, Navistar described OnCommand Connection as "the first...remote diagnostics system using open architecture... with a fleet's existing telematics providers." The product increased uptime, decreased downtime, and placed it among Heavy Duty Trucking magazine's Top 20 new products of 2014.

Building on that successful debut, Navistar chose this year's ATA Management conference to reveal new feature enhancements for the product line. So, as of this month, OnCommand Connection capabilities now include geo-fencing, direct integration and mobile applications:

1. Geo-Fencing enables customers to filter their dashboards into geographic zones, pinpointing vehicle locations within proximity of landmark locations such as maintenance/repair facilities, job-sites, etc.
2. Direct Integration with major component suppliers, beginning with Cummins, allows fleets to receive supplier recommendations based on maintenance issue
3. Mobile Application for iOS and Android platforms

Burnham Works sat down with Navistar GM David Hillman before his presentation at BW's Speak & Connect Nov. 6 event. He shared these details about OnCommand:

OnCommand Connection is the commercial vehicle industry’s first and only Remote Diagnostic System that is based on an Open Architecture System. Using customers’ current Telematic Provider, Navistar has created a Fleet-Centric, remote diagnostic system that is capable of handling All-Makes Fleet. 

This means that large fleets which have invested in a telematics package can get a much more data-rich view of the health and performance of the vehicles in their fleet via the open architecture design of OnCommand, whether those vehicles were built by Navistar or not.  However, many construction companies have smaller vehicle fleets and don’t already have telematics capabilities.  For these businesses, OnCommand allows them to enjoy the benefits of Navistar’s back-office investments to have real-time integration of their fleet performance to enable them more efficient management of their vehicles.

Some of the key elements of OnCommand Connection:

• Reduce Down Time:  Faster Diagnostic Evaluations by Providing Additional Fault Information to the Customer
• Service Portal Visibility:  Health Report Tab Provides Dealers and Fleet Visibility to Health Report History
• Advanced Notification:  Enables Dealers to Proactively Confirm Availability or Order Parts Based on Likely Needed Repair Prior to Vehicle Arrival
• Repair Accuracy:  Improved Fault Code Descriptions and Related Details will Improve Repair Accuracy and Speed
• Fault Code Reference & Action Plans:  Document Provided for Active/Inactive Faults to Help Fleets Understand the Severity and Schedule Necessary Service