Diagnostics Today & Tomorrow
Deborah Lockridge
Senior Editor
In its broadest sense, a diagnostic tool is anything that helps you discover what's wrong with a truck: a tire gauge, or your eyes, ears and nose. But as vehicle electronics have become more sophisticated, an ever-widening array of new technology has become available to detect problems.
Using the mobile communications systems found on many fleets today, you can even get this information piped to you from the truck while it's hundreds of miles away.
In the future, sophisticated "prognostics" systems will tell you a truck's oil needs to be changed or an alternator's about to fail.
Diagnostics Today
"A long time ago, system designers and electronic control designers recognized that to diagnose their systems, the poor old technician with a multimeter and a bulb and two wires wasn't going to work in the future," says Colin Fielding, vice president of diagnostics provider Nexiq Technologies (a division of Snap-On Tools.)
So they developed a system of diagnostic trouble codes, or fault codes. These are generated by the electronic control module looking at inputs from sensors around the vehicle and comparing that data to algorithms, triggering an alert if something's out of whack.
Electronic engines and a growing number of other components, such as transmissions, antilock brakes, tire management systems and collision avoidance warning systems, can provide this information.
"If you look at truck makers and all the major manufacturers of major components - the OEMs, secondary OEMS, third parties - all are starting to provide their components with sensing equipment," says Charles Arsenault of Arsenault Associates, which offers Dossier maintenance management software. "I don't know of any manufacturer today that is not building in self-diagnosing technology."
For instance, just this month, Stemco introduced its new BAT RF products. Based on advanced sensor technologies, they communicate data such as tire air pressure and hub mileage data wirelessly via Radio Frequency channels to special BAT RF reader devices.
Many fleets have been using electronic diagnostic tools for years. Currently, most fleets extract the data in the shop or in the yard, with a technician plugging in a handheld tool or a laptop computer to each truck via the J1708 connection and downloading the information. Newer, wireless connections are available to make this a little easier.
The data also can be downloaded over a wireless LAN, or Local Area Network. In this case, the onboard computer on the truck connects with a wireless network through a transceiver at the gate or the fuel pump. The connection is automatic, with data downloaded directly into the main computer used to analyze maintenance information.
"Everyone talks about moving to a wireless environment, and we think that trend is there, but it's happening more slowly than you might expect," says Wayne Wissinger, manager of product strategy for Mack Trucks. (One of his specialties is electronics and telematics.)
Mack recently introduced InfoMax Wireless, which uses Wi-Fi technology to download vehicle data wirelessly and automatically, such as when the truck comes through the terminal gate. In the near future, you may also have the ability to download the information at Wi-Fi "hot spots" at truckstops. A company called SiriComm plans to install at least a thousand of these hot spots at truckstops, large company terminals, public rest areas and busy distribution centers.
This type of technology will become more widespread, predicts Lee Lackey, technical support specialist at Noregon, which handles a lot of custom software for diagnostics applications. "Currently truckstops are using it mostly for the truck driver who has his own laptop and wants to connect to the Internet," he says. Being able to use that existing technology for diagnostic data uploads is a much easier sell, he says, than diagnostics alone.
The next step is the ability to gather data remotely and real-time, using existing mobile communications technology. The data is stored on the truck's onboard computer for downloads at regular intervals, or the information can be checked on demand. Many remote diagnostics systems provide real-time "exception reporting." When the onboard computer detects a sensor reading that exceeds set parameters, it will alert you, say via an e-mail, pager or cellphone. This technology is here today, but has not yet been widely adopted.
While you now can get one diagnostic tool that can download information from different components, you still need proprietary software from different manufacturers to make sense of the data.
Some PC-based tools help make this easier. For instance, Eaton's MD mobile diagnostics line allows you to launch OEM applications directly from the main diagnostics software.
"It gives the fleet a standard interface, which improves training and diagnostic time," says Phil Warmbier, MD sales manager.
Nexiq offers a custom integration service. Working with the fleet and the OEMs, it will provide a PC with all the diagnostic software from each of the system suppliers. The user can easily launch OEM applications directly from the Nexiq software. Chester Taras, product manager, describes it as "an electronic toolbox for the technician."
Why Use Diagnostics?
What electronic diagnostics can do for your fleet depends largely on your particular wants, needs and capabilities.
For instance, if you do some of your own maintenance but use third-party repair shops and the dealership for more complicated jobs, a handheld diagnostics tool can help you perform a sort of triage. Is this a problem that you can probably handle yourself? If not, can the FleetPride down the road do it, or do you need to send it to the dealer?
"For example, a driver will report seeing a service light. If they don't have a [full] shop, they'll just send it to the dealership or someone that does diagnostics work," says Eaton's Warmbier. "But in some situations it can be as simple as a short in the system. With the handheld tool they can do some basic testing of the data link and find out that maybe a connector is disconnected, maybe a wire needs to be mended or replaced. These are basic, simple things that a technician could do before they ever send it out."
In addition to helping you know where to send the truck for repairs, these preliminary diagnostics can often give you some idea of how long you can expect the truck to be out of service.
On the other end of the scale, big leasing fleets like Ryder or Penske do all their own diagnostics, want everything wireless, and want to be able to track the vehicle's last PM and what was done at each service.
"They're really looking for the hardcore fleet solution," Warmbier says. These are the type of customers who have been among the first to show serious interest in remote, real-time onboard diagnostics.
In addition to fault codes, diagnostic tools often can track things such as fuel mileage and vehicle speed that may help in discovering or diagnosing problems.
Electronic diagnostics can also help address the technician shortage, if done correctly.
"The main reason for electronic diagnostics is to close the technician capability gap," says Nexiq's Fielding. "The number of electronic systems going onto a vehicle are increasing dramatically, and the complexity and interaction of these systems is increasing. The gap between the complexity of the faults technicians are seeing and their ability is widening."
However, it's important to keep in mind that diagnostic tools provide only the first step in the actual diagnosis - pointing you toward what's wrong. For instance, low oil pressure could be a failed oil pump, a clogged oil filter or low oil levels.
"The fact is, diagnostics doesn't tell the technician how to fix the vehicle," says Mack's Wissinger. "To fix the vehicle, you need experience. Electronic faults all too often only tell you what's wrong with the electronics. You could put a million sensors on the truck, but those things are expensive."
What OEMs need to do a better job of, he says, is providing the customer with information beyond the basic fault codes - software that could, based on case histories and the data provided, offer a likely diagnosis.
"You'll see more investment by the OEMs to provide the customer with automated processes to identify issues," predicts Arsenault. "They will start to provide - and many already have - databases to bounce those diagnostics off of to come up with the answers. Much of this information is online. Identifying the problem and diagnosing what it is does not repair it."
Chad Pearson, account manager at Noregon, reports a trend toward integrating this type of information, even if it's something as simple as putting a repair manual in pdf format so it can be displayed on a computer screen. Some diagnostics systems can specifically direct the technician from the fault to the right place in an electronic manual or troubleshooting guide. On-screen videos demonstrating repair procedures are another example.
When you get down to it, electronic diagnostics is still a tool, like a tire gauge, and the person using it is key.
"We have to educate these folks, not just throw a piece of hardware at them," Arsenault says. "Education will maximize the return on investment on that diagnostics equipment - I'm talking a 30% or 40% difference. The diagnostics tool may be a wonderful tool, but it's only as good as the training that comes with it."
Why Now?
There are several reasons for increased interest in electronic diagnostics, and especially remote diagnostics. One is increased emphasis on asset management.
"There's a growing realization among fleets that their business is all about asset management," explains Nexiq's Fielding. "While the truck is rolling, they're making money. Also, while it's rolling, they want it to be rolling very efficiently."
In addition, there is more and more data available on the vehicle that can be accessed. There's also interest because of the upcoming 2007 and 2010 emissions regulations - with ever more sophisticated new engine technology, fleets want to be able to monitor the unfamiliar engines more closely.
Perhaps even more importantly, fleets must have the back-office capability to use the data from the truck effectively. It's only been in the last few years that more and more fleets have been able to outfit their shops with maintenance software. Cheaper, easier-to-use computers and software are helping to push the use of PCs in the shop. The availability of a $500 laptop "is dramatically changing the face of diagnostics today," says Noregon's Lackey.
Another technological development that is making electronic diagnostics even more useful is multiplexing. In a multiplex system, all the components, switches and lights are run through a central computer, explains International's Mark Schumacher, marketing manager for truck electronics.
"It gives us a real advantage because you can pinpoint the issue very specifically," he says. "Instead of spending hours looking through thick wiring harnesses, the computer can tell down to the circuit - almost down to the wire." It can save up to 80% of diagnostic time, he says.
So far, multiplex systems are found mostly on medium-duty and vocational trucks, but will soon be appearing on heavy-duty long-haul trucks as well. International's Diamond Logic, for instance, is found in all its High Performance trucks, serving medium-duty, severe service and regional haul markets. Freightliner's Business Class M2 trucks also feature multiplex electrical systems.
Wave Of The Future?
Many are convinced that real-time, remote diagnostics are the wave of the future. But while there are systems available to do this today, few fleets are taking advantage of them.
If a driver sees a fault light on the dash, chances are he's not going to know what's wrong. He may ignore it and drive on, risking the possibility that it's something major that will cause expensive damage. Or he may take it to the nearest shop, only to discover it was something minor that could have waited until the next scheduled maintenance interval. With real-time on-board diagnostics, the fleet manager can get a better idea of the severity of the problem and make an informed decision on what should be done, saving downtime and repair costs.
In addition to diagnosing faults on the fly, the term "remote diagnostics" also covers things such as being able to monitor and change vehicle parameters on the road, such as top road speed. Systems also could report when maintenance is due or overdue, relay fuel economy and whether a driver has been speeding. Anomalies such as hard braking events can be reported and may help in diagnosis. Theoretically, you could initiate diagnostic tests remotely to find out which injector is bad.
Also of interest in today's atmosphere of heightened security precautions is the ability to shut down a truck remotely if the vehicle has been hijacked by cargo thieves or a terrorist.
Qualcomm has had a remote diagnostics system available for more than 10 years, according to Jeff Waterstreet, senior manager of business development. Its JTracs Pro vehicle data gateway product uses the OmniTracs system to provide on-board, real-time vehicle diagnostics and fault monitoring.
Until recently, however, there has not been a lot of interest.
"I would characterize use of real-time diagnostics as minimal at this point," Waterstreet says. "We have a few of our customers that use it and love it and built the infrastructure to be able to use it internally. We have a great number more expressing interest."
Qualcomm is trying to build on the new interest with a recently announced deal with Snap-On Tools' Nexiq division to develop and market integrated remote diagnostics and mobile asset management solutions. Qualcomm and Snap-on plan to integrate the Nexiq eTechnician application, a Web-based remote vehicle monitoring and diagnostics solution, with Qualcomm's OmniTRACS fleet management solution.
International Truck & Engine Corp. is a more recent entrant in the market for real-time diagnostics. Its International Telematics builds on the multiplexing computer built into its High Performance Vehicles since 2001.
Data from the truck is sent at predetermined intervals to a password-protected web page via a cellular connection. Critical alerts are sent immediately to a cellphone. In addition to fault codes, the telematics also monitors information such as mileage, vehicle speed, rpm shift points and idle time.
The telematics can provide electronic engine information on any International vehicle, but a much richer amount of data is available from the multiplexed models because the entire chassis is being monitored.
In addition, when the telematics unit reports a fault code, it is linked to the online Fleet ISIS troubleshooting guide for information on how to troubleshoot the problem.
Nexiq is another company offering remote diagnostics capabilities, through its eTechnician product. The system uses a box that is installed on the truck and "talks" to the electronic control units on the vehicle. (Or Nexiq can use its software with a truck's existing telematics technology.)
That box communicates through a customer's existing satellite tracking system or other communications path to a server that runs a diagnostic application. Through a web site interface, customers can access fault codes as well as check mileage and other performance data while the vehicle's on the road.
"We've really seen a pickup in terms of interest from fleet customers," Fielding says. "A lot of them have a telematics capability anyway, but it tends to be focused around monitoring where the vehicle is and communicating with the driver. What our eTechnician adds to that is the ability to do proactive maintenance, looking at vehicle efficiency and avoiding breakdowns."
eTechnician is still under study in the field, but Nexiq thinks that, based on the amount of interest they've seen in the past months, this is a technology that will catch on quickly.
Fielding compares the evolution of electronic diagnostics to that of the telephone. It started out as a technology tethered by wires. Next came a local wireless stage, as in cordless phones, and LAN wireless diagnostics systems. The newest version is totally untethered, whether it's cellphones or remote diagnostics.
"Remote diagnostics is part of our future," says Charles Arsenault. The company recently introduced Dossier Onboard, which integrates real-time remote diagnostic data with its maintenance management software.
Arsenault has teamed up with Delphi's MobileAria subsidiary. Its FleetOutlook compact onboard computer includes an AM/FM radio and takes the radio's place in the dash. It communicates with the fleet's home computer over satellite or ground digital providers.
Dossier Online tracks maintenance-related information from the FleetOutlook computer, including things such as mileage and fuel consumption. In the case of a serious problem, such as low oil pressure or overheating, the driver is notified through the radio speakers in the cab. At the same time, the problem is sent to the Dossier software, along with other information, such as the vehicle ID, its location, etc. An alert also can be sent directly to a fleet manager's pager, cellphone or handheld computer.
Less serious diagnostic alerts are recorded onboard for future handling.
In both cases, the Dossier software at the shop can take the fault code data coming from the trucks and automatically generate repair orders, including necessary parts information.
"Onboard diagnostics is part of surface transportation's future. Period." Arsenault says.
Looking Ahead
The next step beyond diagnostics is called prognostics - catching breakdowns before they occur. Sophisticated electronics could alert you that a starter is going to go out soon, so you could schedule that truck back into the shop rather than facing the downtime and expense of a road call.
"We're exploring algorithms and technology that will allow us to understand the component life, and sort of predict an end life for these components and minimizes the downtime of the vehicle," says International's Schumacher. "There are some complex patterns we can look for. We start to see signatures of voltages, for instance. [We will be able to detect] when that pattern starts to fall out of normal situation and becomes characteristic of a very short life of that component." International's team is focusing on areas where fleets have the highest maintenance costs, such as tires, fluids and filters, alternators and batteries and brakes.
Noregon's Lackey notes that the military is starting to incorporate condition-based sensors in its vehicles. For instance, an oil sensor would regularly examine the oil and make a determination as to the quality and then send a message alerting the user to the need for an oil change.
Of course, determining the right time to flag a part for replacement is tricky, Schumacher says. "It's a tradeoff. You don't want to over-predict and pull things out of service before they've met their limit. There's the cost of prediction as well. We're doing the tradeoffs of where the cost makes sense, where the technology is proven and where it can add benefit."
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