HERE to power RIO

Eindhoven, Netherlands - HERE, the Open Location Platform company, today announced that it will serve as the primary location intelligence provider for RIO, the upcoming cloud-based digital platform for the transportation industry from Volkswagen Truck and Bus.

Through its location platform, HERE will provide RIO users with highly accurate maps and a rich set of location services like real-time traffic, geocoding and routing for trucks. Additional platform functionalities will also enable users to address specific transportation needs. These include knowing when a moving asset enters or leaves a defined geographic area ("geofencing"); calculating an accurate estimate of trip costs by taking into account various vehicle profiles and toll systems across geographic areas; and creating the optimal sequence of waypoints based on time or distance traveled, factoring in specific delivery timeslots at individual drop-off locations.

"We have selected HERE for its accurate global map database, rich feature set, and right level of flexibility, which allows for easy implementation. HERE enables us to go to market faster and they provide continued excellent support," said Frank Tinschert, VP Telematics and Digital Solutions at MAN Truck and Bus AG. The company is the first sponsor of RIO and responsible for developing the brand within the Volkswagen Truck and Bus Group.

"The HERE location platform provides a rich set of dedicated tools for improved fleet management and logistics. RIO is set to optimize the operations of the transportation industry and can easily turn on further features to make their customers' operations more efficient and cost-effective," said Eric Fumat, VP Global Enterprise Sales at HERE.

The launch of RIO, scheduled for early 2017, will be the first time that shippers, dispatchers, carriers, drivers and recipients are connected through a common platform. RIO can be used by any vehicle with an FMS 2.0 interface and any telematics system, including those of competitors, allowing easier and faster flow of information across the entire supply chain.