GreenRoad has announced the world's first smartphone-based driver performance solution for fleets. Encompassing several key technological and engineering breakthroughs, GreenRoad Smartphone Edition, code named "Asimov" is available now in beta for Android devices.

GreenRoad Smartphone Edition uses smartphone native functionality, including GPS and built-in accelerometers, to eliminate the need for a professionally-installed telematics device in the vehicle. Drivers use the service by downloading the Asimov app, dropping the smartphone into the vehicle mount, and beginning their trip.

The service uses advanced, patented algorithms to detect how well the driver is driving. Whenever a risky or fuel-inefficient maneuver occurs, GreenRoad Smartphone Edition gives the driver immediate audio and visual feedback directly from the smartphone. GreenRoad Smartphone Edition also includes a distracted driving prevention feature that can be configured to automatically disable physical use of the smartphone while the vehicle is moving.

Broadening the Market
Today, business fleets that are often comprised of short-term leased vehicles rarely invest in professionally-installed telematics equipment with a long term payback schedule. Because it is smartphone-based, GreenRoad Smartphone Edition is expected to appeal to a broad market including business and delivery fleets, with rapid vehicle turnover, short term leases and rotating fleet equipment.

Potential integration with other fleet applications that are also smartphone-based, such as inventory management, navigation and fleet management, is another benefit.

One of the first companies to use Asimov is Edko, LLC, a leading vegetation management services provider in the United States, serving the utility, industrial, and municipal markets. A group of Edko drivers began using Asimov on their smartphones in August with the goals of improving driver safety and fuel efficiency.

"As a fleet that has decided to bet on Android for our drivers, we are impressed with what GreenRoad is doing." said Jason Sellers, district manager at Edko. "We are definitely interested in the Asimov application rather than another standalone device that requires professional installation in our fleet vehicles."

"With GPS capability and accelerometer functionality, plus the power and flexibility of a sophisticated computer, the smartphone is poised to become an important platform for telematics applications," said Jim Heeger, chief executive of GreenRoad.

"The smartphone adoption tidal wave is now hitting fleets. Our research shows more than one-third of US fleet drivers are using smartphones equipped with business-related apps. We knew we wanted to be the first to bring driver performance to smartphones," continued Heeger. "Asimov represents a huge step forward in our Connected Fleet vision and we are dedicated to leading the market in its transition to the smartphone platform."

Technology Breakthroughs and How GreenRoad Smartphone Edition Works
GreenRoad Smartphone Edition was developed by a team of premier GreenRoad software developers. After years of creating innovative driver performance software, the team knew they were ready for the most difficult challenge of all: creating a complete driver solution that is powered by a smartphone.

"Our biggest challenge in creating Asimov was dealing with the phone's variable orientation in space. One of our key innovations was figuring out how to continuously calculate the phone's orientation and automatically sync this with the precise event measurements generated from phone sensor data," said vice president of product management, Amir Shoval.

These sophisticated algorithms also automatically detect the beginning and end of each trip so that the software is as transparent as possible to the driver. The driver does not need to stop and think about turning GreenRoad on or off; it just runs in the background, measuring driving performance, as the driver drives.

GreenRoad Smartphone Edition, like previous GreenRoad products, measures risky or inefficient driving events across five parameters: acceleration, braking, cornering, speeding and lane handling.

Shoval predicts that as smartphones continue to get smarter, GreenRoad driver performance software will get better and better. "As state-of-the-art sensors continue to develop, and exciting new technologies like voice and gesture recognition are further refined, you will continue to see GreenRoad Smartphone Edition evolve and become even more compelling than it is today."