Telematics Attempts to Put Brakes on Fuel Theft
An Australian manufacturer is using the equivalent of telematics, or what some call the “Internet of Things” (IoT), to put the brakes on fuel theft.
Fluid Management Technology (FMT), based in Adelaide, South Australia, has developed a high-tech system that allows companies to remotely monitor gasoline consumption.
The devices, which are being used in more than 10 countries, are designed for fleets of mining, transport, civil construction and municipal vehicles that regularly undertake long trips.
FMT’s SmartFill GEN2 devices use driver and vehicle specific identification keys to unlock the fuel tank. The device then records how much fuel is put it into the vehicle’s tank. It also accesses the vehicles odometer readings and cargo types to calculate fuel requirements.
FMT Managing Director Bob Thomas said the system, which was fitted to bowsers at fueling stations, could be programmed to lock fuel tanks if too much fuel or if an unscheduled transaction occurred.
“Depending on the key used, things like odometer statistics, the amount of fuel used, the name of driver and other data are sent to a client’s web-based account where they can track movement in real-time,” he said.
Last year the company began selling the devices to the United States Government for use at its embassy in Nepal and is set to install another system at its Guatemalan embassy in the coming months.
FMT has also set up its first US operational base in Michigan to help service North America and provide full-time assistance to customers in the region.
Thomas said the company was now working on a new nozzle-based identifier that would lock down the tank if it did not recognize the vehicle taking on fuel.
Category: Fuel & Oil, General Update
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