TOKYO-Multi Channel Access radio, Japan’s name for specialized mobile radio service, has been widely used by industries for allocating and controlling taxies and delivery trucks. But recently, these industries have begun using new technologies, such as packet data communications networks and global positioning system satellite communications networks. Several leading companies have developed and marketed vehicle management systems and physical distribution systems fully using these advanced technologies.
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has developed a vehicle management system using GPS and NTT DoCoMo Inc.’s “DoPa” packet data service. The system, which is called Mitsubishi Navi Net Communic-ations Vehicle Location Management System, will locate each vehicle, identify the job status of each vehicle, and control customer information.
User companies need a computer, vehicle location management software and a router at their head offices. Each customer vehicle houses a car navigation system, communications protocol revising software and DoPa terminal. Because this system uses DoPa, a packet data communications service, user companies can reduce their communications charges by one-tenth compared with charges using a conventional circuited-switch data system, Mitsubishi said.
Mitsubishi’s management system can connect with the customer company’s intranet. According Mitsubishi spokesman, the system costs $47,170 for a customer with 30 vehicles.
Oki Electric Industry Company Ltd. has developed a location information service system based on GPS and computer telephony integration. The system sends location data of each user to the CTI center through cellular networks, and the CTI server at the center searches for necessary data, such as the mapping information, and sends it back to each user.
Oki plans to sell the system for distribution companies to optimize their vehicle allocations and taxi companies for emergency communications.
An Oki spokesman said the system could be used in wider geographic areas compared with conventional trunked radio.
Fujitsu Ltd. has developed a physical distribution management system for bakeries. The system will automatically trace containers full of newly baked bread from a bakery factory to a physical distribution center to a convenience store or a bread shop.
Each container carries a wireless card, and each delivery truck is equipped with a computer and a cellular phone. Antennas constructed at the exit of the factory, at the distribution center, at buildings and at electric poles along the road toward a convenience store or a bread store automatically check whether the delivery truck passes by and how much bread each container still has.
Fujitsu developed the system in fiscal year 1998. Fujitsu conducted a series of field tests with Yamazaki Baking Company Ltd., winning cooperation from convenience stores.
Meanwhile, the distribution industry has introduced a new system fully using advanced wireless technology. Nippon Express Co. Ltd. has introduced a delivery truck allocation system using satellites. The system is designed for delivery trucks for importing and exporting containers.
Each vehicle is equipped with a GPS sensor and a small communication terminal. When the driver inputs the container number, the destination and the status of the job, the information is delivered to each Nippon Express’s office via satellite.
Employees at Nippon Express offices can check the status of the delivery job on a PC screen and send instructions to each driver’s terminal. At the moment, the system is being used the company’s Tokyo and Nagoya offices. But the firm is going to introduce the same system into the firm’s other offices, too.
Sagawa Kyubin introduced a CTI system in May and opened up a new information center in its Tokyo Shinagawa Center. Some 70 operators at the center provide services to their customers-mostly corporate users-by exchange communications with each delivery truck driver using both MCA (Multi Channel Access) and i-mode.
At the moment, only the Tokyo center has the system, but Sagawa is planning to introduce the same system into other offices, too.
In addition, taxi companies, which have been using MCA radios, started using a new settlement system, fully using advanced wireless systems.
Veritech, a Tokyo-based business, and Telework Japan Company Ltd. in March started providing wireless settlement services for taxi operators. At the moment, four major taxi operators in Tokyo, including Nihon Kotsu and MK Kokusai, are using the system.
The system uses an Ingenico 700 series terminal, a payment settlement terminal developed by Ingenico, a French company. The system is based on prioritized operating system and encryption technology with high security, Veritech said. The firm plans to provide the system to other businesses such as door-to-door delivery services, insurance payment collection and event sales. Veritech is going to ship 5,000 units for these four taxi operators by 2001. A spokesman of Telework Japan said the firm is going to develop a system that will deal with both settlement and taxi allocation services in the future.
Achaeceth Inc., a Tokyo-based business, has launched a settlement service for taxi companies. The system is based on NTT DoCoMo’s DoPa and costs 47 cents per settlement. Users also need to lease a settlement terminal at $38 to $47 per month.
When the taxi driver inserts either a credit card or a debit card into the settlement device and inputs the amount of the charge, then the data is sent to a server at Achaeceth through DoPa networks. Then the Achaeceth server and financial institution’s server exchange the settlement data.
Achaeceth is planning to sell 30,000 units in the first year. Achaeceth is also going to develop an advanced system that will deal with both settlement and taxi allocation.
Another company in Tokyo, ID Technica, will also launch payment settlement services for taxi operators in September. The firm developed the terminal in cooperation with a business in Korea. Because the terminal has a built-in printer, which prints out three copies simultaneously, all the three parities involved in the business-the taxi driver, the card company and the user-can keep a copy for the payment.
The firm is also going to sell the system for other businesses in addition to taxi operators.
