Full fleet management system Hino-Connect will from now on be installed as standard on the entire range of trucks offered by Hino South Africa (SA), including the Dyna, 300, 500 and 700 models.

The project is a joint venture with mobility solutions provider Cartrack.

“This comprehensive telematics solution includes a three-year subscription from [the] date of fitment and will be an important additional tool to ensure we continue to provide the highest levels of customer satisfaction,” says Hino SA VP Ernie Trautmann.

“Hino’s total support strategy, which builds strong relationships and trust with all stakeholders – and which has been the backbone of our success here in South Africa for many years – will benefit hugely from the data this system will now be able to provide to our customers, Hino SA and Hino Japan.”

Hino-Connect will provide three sets of data, namely positional data for tracking and recovery, as well as distances travelled; vehicle performance data, including fuel consumption, oil and water temperatures and speed; and diagnostic trouble code fault reporting.

The latter will be delivered directly to Hino SA and the dealer concerned, thus enabling quicker reaction time to get the vehicle back on the road.

All data is stored for five years, with the last six months’ data available immediately.

“Over the years, Hino has increased the number of value-added products offered to its customers, ranging from extended service intervals, competitive service and maintenance plans, to warranties on replacement parts fitted by franchise dealers,” notes Trautmann.

“Hino-Connect will now open the way [for] us to consider a buyback and preowned truck programme.

“Hino-Connect means we can monitor a truck’s operating life before preparing it for resale and, in view of the high resale value of a Hino truck, we will be able to offer favourable buyback rates.

“Hino’s ultimate objective is to offer a total logistics partnership to our customers, where the truck is the tool in an integrated solution to meet an operator’s specific requirements.”

Trautmann says Hino SA has taken its time to launch the Hino-Connect standard telematics system as the truck manufacturer wanted to ensure that it would have the right product and the right partner when the system was implemented.