Magtec adds speed, idle management to M5K security system

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Magtec Products (USA), Inc. announced that its M5K onboard safety and security device has a new Speed and Idle Management (SIM) feature. SIM enables the carrier to remotely set and control speed thresholds and idle time – all in real time.

“We recognized the severe impact fuel prices are having on the transportation industry and wanted to find a way to implement valuable fuel economy initiatives through our technology,” said Robert Morisset, Magtec president and chief executive officer. “While speed limiters are already built into most engines, it requires someone to service each truck to set or adjust them. With SIM, the dispatcher simply sends a signal to the M5K on a vehicle to remotely and instantly set speed thresholds or idle time.”

Magtec’s fuel performance solution will enable calculable savings in fuel and operational costs. According to the American Transportation Association, “For each one mph that a truck’s speed is reduced, there is approximately 0.1 mpg increase in fuel efficiency.” Based on this, the following calculations show the savings on one truck driving 125,000 miles per year and fuel at $4.00/gallon:

By reducing the speed from 70mph to 68mph, the savings for the year is $3,190
By reducing the speed from 70mph to 65mph, the savings for the year is $7,576
By reducing the speed from 70mph to 60mph, the savings for the year is $13,986

The M5K offers numerous additional productivity solutions such as eliminating the need for team drivers on high-value short hauls due to features such as keyless driver authentication and Unattended Idle Protect. Magtec leverages data available during the operation of fleet vehicles to analyze, calculate and track all driver related information and then triggers, or allows dispatch to trigger the appropriate procedures to keep the vehicles secure and drivers in compliance – all in real time.

When interfaced with a communications provider, the system can be managed from a dispatch or
monitoring centre and offers features such as remote driver code management, tamper notification to dispatch and Magtec’s proprietary Acceleration Control Sytem (ACS). ACS enables dispatchers to remotely limit the acceleration capability of the vehicle and reduce the speed in preset increments so it can be brought to a safe and controlled stop, a key differentiator between Magtec’s M5K and any other vehicle immobilization technology, the company says.