Tait Connection

In the late 2000s, the already-ubiquitous mobile phone gained further connectivity and greater processing power for applications, as the world met the smart phone. The impact of this was immense, as this already well-established device became indispensable in our personal and professional lives.

Many of the devices we use every day feature wireless connectivity and a library of software applications, so it was inevitable that smart devices would eventually find their way into the vehicles we drive.

Now, features like GPS are commonplace, and it’s not unusual for car stereos to connect with your smart device. Some automobile manufacturers are offering in-dashboard voice calling, and the self-driving car is emerging from science fiction into reality.

Can a mobile radio be smart?

Now, we’re seeing an already well-established device – in this case the mobile radio - get smarter and become even more indispensable to our professional lives, as a recently-introduced solution brings together connectivity and applications. What a smart phone brings to your pocket, the smart mobile radio can now bring to your vehicle fleet, only with much greater power.

An early example of the smart mobile is UnifyVehicle, which brings Bluetooth, WiFi and Cellular together in your mobile radio with a powerful processor and an open application. This creates a vehicle area network or mobile WiFi hot spot, connected to the wider world through the best available network bearer. It also provides a platform to run smart applications that can dramatically improve workforce safety and productivity.

Smart mobiles aren’t hindered by the technical limitations that portable devices suffer. They can take advantage of the vehicles’ much-greater battery capacity, and larger antennas. So with UnifyVehicle, a mobile radio becomes more than just a communications device; it is a connectivity platform for other nearby devices - effectively a mobile WiFi connection which goes wherever you go.

This is interesting in terms of the technology, but some of the scenarios it creates are truly game-changing. Let’s take a look at the working day for a Police officer, to see what these smart mobiles can contribute.

OTAP over WiFi

The local Police Department has installed UnifyVehicle in their fleet, with specialized applications designed to support and assist officers. The vehicle begins its day at the precinct, where a technician uses WiFi to update the mobile radio to the latest software version, to ensure it operates optimally. In the past, this process would require a technician to enter the vehicle and connect to the radio manually, a slow and awkward task which takes the vehicle – and the officer – off the road. WiFi connectivity makes it fast and painless.