Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network is disclosed. The method comprises determining a fuel usage rate and an engine speed of a vehicle, and determining when the vehicle is coasting based upon at least one of the fuel usage rate and the engine speed of the vehicle. An acceleration of the vehicle, when the vehicle is determined to be coasting, is compared with a predetermined reference acceleration, and an application of braking during the coasting is determined based on the result of the comparison. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the relative amount of time for which the vehicle is coasting without braking during a journey.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear is disclosed. The method comprises determining a current gear of the vehicle and determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle. An indication is then provided to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear when: (i) the determined current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold; and (ii) the determined current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network, comprising determining at least one constant speed zone of the road network, a constant speed zone being a portion of the road network at which the vehicle can travel at a constant speed, said determination being based upon expected speeds of travel along the road network determined from positional data relating to the movements of a plurality of vehicles over time along the road network. A speed of the vehicle traversing the road network is determined at a plurality of times during the journey, and a value indicative of a consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the at least one constant speed zone is further determined.

Abstract: A wireless communication device for collecting vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data is disclosed, together with associated methods of handling OBD data in such wireless communication devices. In embodiments, the wireless communication device is arranged to determine when it has been disconnected from the vehicle OBD port and to correct previously stored time-stamped OBD data by synchronising with an external reference clock signal provided by an external mobile telecommunications device before the corrected OBD data is transmitted to the external device. In other embodiments, the wireless communication device comprises a processor configured to aggregate collected OBD data into risk profile data comprising one or more scalar indicators and/or histogram indicators, and the device is further arranged to store the risk profile data in memory until the device is paired with an external mobile telecommunications device and a data transmission instruction is received.

Abstract: A vehicle request management system having a server (10) arranged to communicate with a plurality of vehicle requesting devices (12) and a plurality of vehicles (14), each being equipped with a device (200) having route planning and navigation functionality. Upon receipt of a vehicle request, the server allocates the request to an existing cluster of vehicle requests if it is related to the requests. If it is not related to the requests, the request is used to generate a new cluster. The relationship between new vehicle requests and those of existing clusters is assessed based on a proximity of a pick-up location associated with the new request to a pick-up location of an existing request. The relationship is assessed using a parameter that is selected based on a geographical and temporal density of vehicle requests in a region associated with the cluster.

Abstract: A vehicle accelerometer system comprises an accelerometer for installation in a vehicle, a processor for selection of accelerometer output data items for inclusion in an accelerometer output data set representative of measurements by the accelerometer at a plurality of different vehicle locations, each accelerometer output data item being representative of a respective measurement by the accelerometer, and a storage device for storing the accelerometer output data set, wherein the processor is configured to process the accelerometer output data set to determine an orientation output representative of the orientation of the accelerometer with respect to the vehicle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an advised driving speed to a driver of a vehicle travelling on a road network is disclosed. The method comprises determining an advised driving speed of a vehicle for a portion of the road network currently being traversed, determining a current speed of the vehicle on the portion of the road network, and determining a speed limit and/or an expected driving speed for the portion of the road network. An indication of the advised driving speed is then provided to the driver of the vehicle when: (i) the current speed of the vehicle is greater than a first threshold value based on the advised driving speed; and (ii) the speed limit and/or the expected driving speed is greater than a second threshold value. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the compliance of a driver of a vehicle to an advised driving speed during a journey on a road network.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing suggested entries for a candidate journey in a vehicle logbook, comprising selecting one or more neighbour journeys based on a location of one or more end-points of the candidate journey and the one or more neighbour journeys, determining an accuracy value indicative of a match between each neighbour journey and the candidate journey based on one or more attributes of each neighbour journey and the candidate journey, and providing at least one suggested entry for the candidate journey in the vehicle logbook based on the accuracy value associated

Abstract: A device for collecting vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBO) data is disclosed, together with an associated method of collecting OBD data in such devices. In embodiments, the OBO data collection device includes a connector for connecting the device to a vehicle OBO port to receive OBO data and power and a processor for controlling collection of the OBO data. The processor is arranged to determine a vehicle engine state by monitoring a voltage at the connector, taken in combination with OBO data relating to vehicle speed and/or engine revolutions. Such devices are able to reliably detect both engine ‘on’ and ‘off’ states in modern vehicles that use “smart charging” technology.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the available gears of a geared vehicle based on the ratios of vehicle speed to engine speed, together with a method and apparatus for determining the current gear in which a geared vehicle is being driven based on the current ratio of vehicle speed to engine speed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating an advised driving speed of a vehicle traversing a particular portion of a road network is disclosed. The method comprises accessing first predetermined data indicative of the variation in average fuel consumption for the vehicle with speed of the vehicle, using the first predetermined data to determine data indicative of average fuel consumption for the vehicle for a plurality of speeds within a range based on a speed limit for the portion of the road network being traversed, and evaluating the advised driving speed of the vehicle based at least in part on the determined data indicative of average fuel consumption for the vehicle for the range of speeds. The evaluation of the advised driving speed may further be based on second predetermined data indicative of the variation in a likelihood of the vehicle being in the highest gear with speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: A wireless communication device for collecting vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data is disclosed, together with associated methods of handling OBD data in such wireless communication devices. In embodiments, the wireless communication device is arranged to determine when it has been disconnected from the vehicle OBD port and to correct previously stored time-stamped OBD data by synchronizing with an external reference clock signal provided by an external mobile telecommunications device before the corrected OBD data is transmitted to the external device. In other embodiments, the wireless communication device comprises a processor configured to aggregate collected OBD data into risk profile data comprising one or more scalar indicators and/or histogram indicators, and the device is further arranged to store the risk profile data in memory until the device is paired with an external mobile telecommunications device and a data transmission instruction is received.

Abstract: A vehicle accelerometer system comprises an accelerometer (290) for installation in a vehicle (500), a processor (210) for selection of accelerometer output data items for inclusion in an accelerometer output data set representative of measurements by the accelerometer (290) at a plurality of different vehicle locations, each accelerometer output data item being representative of a respective measurement by the accelerometer (290), and a storage device (230) for storing the accelerometer output data set, wherein the processor (210) is configured to process the accelerometer output data set to determine an orientation output representative of the orientation of the accelerometer (290) with respect to the vehicle (500).

Abstract: A wireless communication device for collecting vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data is disclosed, together with associated methods of handling OBD data in such wireless communication devices. In embodiments, the wireless communication device is arranged to determine when it has been disconnected from the vehicle OBD port and to correct previously stored time-stamped OBD data by synchronising with an external reference clock signal provided by an external mobile telecommunications device before the corrected OBD data is transmitted to the external device. In other embodiments, the wireless communication device comprises a processor configured to aggregate collected OBD data into risk profile data comprising one or more scalar indicators and/or histogram indicators, and the device is further arranged to store the risk profile data in memory until the device is paired with an external mobile telecommunications device and a data transmission instruction is received.

Abstract: A wireless communication device for collecting vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data is disclosed, together with associated methods of handling OBD data in such wireless communication devices. In embodiments, the wireless communication device is arranged to determine when it has been disconnected from the vehicle OBD port and to correct previously stored time-stamped OBD data by synchronising with an external reference clock signal provided by an external mobile telecommunications device before the corrected OBD data is transmitted to the external device. In other embodiments, the wireless communication device comprises a processor configured to aggregate collected OBD data into risk profile data comprising one or more scalar indicators and/or histogram indicators, and the device is further arranged to store the risk profile data in memory until the device is paired with an external mobile telecommunications device and a data transmission instruction is received.