Seeing the bigger picture with Volvo CE

Volvo Construction Equipment help customers see the bigger picture with Connected Map solution

VOLVO Construction Equipment have unveiled their Connected Map solution, a positioning service which provides a visualized site overview for all machines – including non-Volvo machines – and vehicles on a site, accessible by personnel in the machines (via Volvo Co-Pilot or Android/iOS device) and in the office (via the Office Portal web platform).

Azadeh Fazl Mashhadi, service offer owner - site solutions at Volvo CE, explained: ‘With Connected Map, users benefit from complete job site visibility. It gives them a visual overview, in real time, of the position of every machine, every vehicle, and every visitor on a site connected to the App, helping to make their operation more efficient and more productive.

‘The site management also have total job site visibility via the Office Portal, providing, at their fingertips, all the information needed to optimize traffic conditions for maximum productivity. Moreover, increasing the efficiency of transport operations can also help to cut travel times, minimize material mixing, lower fuel consumption, and reduce emissions.’

Connected Map works by extracting the positioning data from machine telematics or Android/iOS devices with SIM Cards and uploading it to a cloud-based Volvo platform. Whether a Volvo machine, non-Volvo machine, vehicle or temporary site visitor, Connected Map will visualize the position of any unit on site which has the App installed – either in the Volvo Co-Pilot or in an Android/iOS device.

For non-Volvo machines which are regularly on site, Volvo recommend fitting the machine with a generic/non-Volvo Co-Pilot with Map App. This can be purchased as an aftermarket option through Volvo dealers or, alternatively, non-Volvo machine operators can gain access in the Site Map App via any Android/iOS device with a SIM card. Temporary site visitors can also access the App in the same way, allowing easy site familiarization.

Connected Map will visualize a host of typical job site features and landmarks, including roads to assist operators in navigating around the site, load zones, dump zones, speed zones, as well as restricted zones. Points of interest such as offices, workshops, and fuel stations can also be visualized, which is especially helpful for new or temporary operators. Single-lane (narrow road) sections can be defined, notifying the operator if another machine is approaching within a single-lane section helping to avoid traffic congestion.

For site managers, the Office Portal makes it easier to manage larger sites and even creates the possibility to manage multiple sites simultaneously. Not only does Office Portal provide a visual overview of all machines, operators, and temporary visitors on site, it also allows the site manager to react to the prevailing site conditions. The site manager can introduce measures such as one-way traffic or restricted zones and communicate these changes to all users in an instant, helping to improve awareness, reduce accidents, and increase productivity.

Connected Map users can also stay in the know when it comes to the whereabouts of their machines, thanks to the search functionality within Connected Map, which will look-up and find users or machines in real time, with the last machine position visible for 30 days. Away from the office, Connected Map makes it easier for the operator to become more familiar with the site and know where everyone is – including visitors – helping to facilitate a more straightforward, safer, and less stressful operation.