In his interview with Limor Schafman of U2U Connect, “Fleet Management Transformed with the Latest in M2M,” Roger Sanford, Chief Marketing Office of Apptricity, describes M2M as a derma layer that surrounds all things and pervades all industries. He says it is an inevitable “event” that provides the opportunity for big data to be combined with intelligence – both human and artificial – to increase operational efficiency for companies, and sustainability for the environment.
Two examples are products/services that Apptricity, an automation software services company, has created. Smartfleet is a product just launched in New Zealand, which enables trucking companies to track the “where” and “when” of their trucks combined with the “what” of the goods they are transporting. Based on technology developed for the military which proved very popular, Apptricity saw a commercial market opportunity. By providing meaningful layers of data to dispatchers, Smartfleet enables increased precision in delivery and management of goods. This was mirrored in another service Apptricity provided to Verizon’s Just in Time Warehousing. Working with Alcatel Lucent, the product managed inventory put on service trucks, again increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
Sanford continues, taking a look at M2M 50 years out and what the business opportunities may be at that time.