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Advances in telematics with JDLink
A new generation JDLink vehicle telematics system has been introduced by John Deere to meet the needs of hire fleets, large arable farms, contractors and equipment dealers. This new system provides important data which can be used to support increased efficiency, improved fleet management and planned maintenance in diverse equipment fleets.
JDLink helps the user to address the following issues:
- actual location of a machine
- maintenance alerts
- prevention of machine and fuel theft
- recording of machine hours for invoicing purposes
- optimisation of maintenance costs
- machine performance monitoring within a fleet
The new system will be available from spring 2009 in two basic versions, JDLink Select and JDLink Ultimate.
JDLink Select
For newcomers to the world of guidance, John Deere has launched the GreenStar JDLink Select uses generic hardware to relay the vehicle location and running hours via the new JDLink website. Fleet owners can either schedule a regular automatic contact with the vehicle, or manually connect via the website.
Once the machine is actively ‘called’, it takes about three to five minutes for the vehicle’s latest position to be displayed on a Google road map or satellite image of the area. Within the mapping screens it is also possible to set a GeoFence boundary, with an e-mail or SMS alert sent whenever the vehicle passes the boundary, or when the machine is operated outside a preset time limit.
Machine running hours per day are also recorded, which helps to evaluate overall machine use, and it is possible to preset service hour intervals, with an alert sent when the interval is reached.
JDLink Select is compatible with vehicles of all makes, provided they have either a 12 or 24V charging system. It is also possible to upgrade JDLink Select to JDLink Ultimate on selected John Deere machines.
JDLink Ultimate
JDLink Ultimate been specifically developed for large arable farms, contractors and fleet owners, as well as John Deere dealers. Using the same wireless connectivity module as JDLink Select, it features enhanced communication with the vehicle’s on-board CAN-Bus control system, allowing access to useful machine and performance data.
This includes enhanced running hour data, which is able to separate working time in the field from transport and idle hours, with information on engine load and fuel use in each mode. Additional information available form the system includes travel speed, engine speed, MFWD use, diff-lock engagement time and AutoTrac ‘on’ time.
The fleet owner is also able to predefine an alert ‘event’, with e-mail or SMS alerts sent whenever the event occurs. This may include alerts for low fuel tank levels (either through theft or use during work), high engine speeds for long periods, driver information warnings or vehicle warning codes.
JDLink Ultimate will be available as a field fit option for John Deere 6030 to 9030 Series tractors, and for 7000 and 7050 Series self propelled forage harvesters. For the latest 7050 Series foragers from John Deere Werke Zweibrücken, JDLink Ultimate will also be available ex-factory.
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