Hino Australia has announced that all 500 Series customers will benefit from the standard fitment of Hino-Connect on all vehicles plated from 1 January 2022.
Currently available as standard on the all-new Hino 700 Series, Hino-Connect is the next-generation of business intelligence that provides customers with real-time performance data tracking, remote diagnosis of vehicle faults and dedicated Hino-Connect specialist support.
Built and designed in Australia by Directed Electronics, Hino-Connect allows direct communication with the driver through the truck’s Multimedia unit, which is an Australian-first.
A unique element of Hino-Connect is the case-management provided by the Sydney-based team of Hino-Connect Specialists that support the customer, driver and dealer and monitor the progress of the repair to get the truck back on the road quickly.
“At Hino, we are committed to placing our customers at the centre of our operations, by providing them with experienced specialists within the walls of our head office in Caringbah and, with Hino-Connect, we provide a complete support solution that minimises their downtime,” said Gus Belanszky, General Manager – Service and Customer Support for Hino Australia.
Meanwhile, Fleet and Business Managers can use an online portal and mobile app to access business intelligence and real-time insights into their fleet including live vehicle performance data such as fuel usage, the cause and effect of driving performance, and safety alerts.
Other features include live GPS tracking and detailed trip reports plus useful tools such as ‘movement without ignition’ alerts and geo-fencing.
“Another feature Hino-Connect offers our customers is an API (Application Programming Interface) data feed, which is rFMS compatible.
“For our multi-brand fleets, this allows them to plug the data from the Hino-Connect module straight into their own third party fleet management system.”
Hino Australia and Directed Electronics partnership
“Hino-Connect is a natural evolution of the decade-long partnership between Hino Australia and Directed Electronics, which has been made possible by the high level of support provided by the team at Hino Motors, Ltd. in Japan,” said Mr Belanszky.
“Directed Electronics has built the hardware and firmware to suit the current market – their high level of expertise and capability allows us to deliver the right ‘plug and play’ solution for the Australian market, and provides flexibility to adapt the system for the future needs of our customers,” he concluded.
“We are proud of our partnership with Hino and the opportunity to work together in the development of the Hino-Connect program” said Brent Stafford, Directed Electronics Executive Director.
Built from the ground up in Australia, including the local manufacture of the Hino-Connect telematics hardware, the program is customised around the unique dataset available from the Hino vehicle and the capabilities of the multimedia unit.
“Hino customers care about digital services that keep their trucks operating efficiently while reducing downtime and operating costs.
“In developing Hino-Connect, we set out to build a system that would achieve this – it is more than technology, it’s about making a difference in the lives of Hino customers,” said Mr Stafford.
Connecting customers
500 Series Standard Cab, Wide Cab, and 4×4 customers will join 700 Series customers in receiving five years of complimentary remote diagnostics and Hino-Connect Specialist support including vehicle engine control monitoring; severe fault alerts; and case management of fault rectification.
In addition, they will also receive 12 months of complimentary business intelligence access, which will provide in-depth operational management of their fleet including live tracking and trip analysis; fuel consumption and forecasting; vehicle performance monitoring; and maintenance support.
After 12 months, customers can choose to extend the business intelligence access and API integration for up to an additional 48 months.
A modified version of Hino-Connect featuring the business intelligence elements will also be available as an accessory on 300 Series light-duty trucks from January 2022.
