Origo is a new technology that ensures drivers are using hands-free phones without losing the ability to communicate and be productive on the road. According to the maker, Origo is an easily installed, fully-integrated solution that supports the top-selling smartphone models and doesn’t let truck or car engines start until drivers place their phones into a docking station.
According to the company, unlike phone-disabling solutions that require software updates or can be easily overridden – further adding to distracted driving – Origo harnesses Bluetooth and other hands-free technology to enable drivers to talk while driving, thereby bolstering productivity and enhancing safety. It also serves as a theft deterrent; the vehicle will not start without an authorized phone in place.
“Commercial fleet owners have tried training, applications, tracking devices and other solutions, but these are not enough to make commercial driving safer,” said Clay Skelton, Origo’s inventor. “By taking the phone out of the driver’s hands – but not preventing a driver from being connected – Origo can significantly reduce accidents and increase safety in commercial fleets, enhance driver performance, safeguard the fleet and greatly reduce insurance costs.”
The OrigoSafe Commercial version comes with a module called OrigoCommand, which is an enterprise level, iPad-based fleet management package that gives the administrator the ability to add or delete phones and users from the system, create teams of drivers and view reports, the maker noted. The system uses a central database for the administrator to manage multiple fleets at multiple locations and restrict use to an easily manageable list of authorized drivers.
The company said the OrigoSafe is available for about the cost of one truck tire. It is easy to install, configure and administer and provides commercial fleet operators with verifiable compliance to company policies and state and federal laws, the company said, adding it is compatible with other fleet management packages currently in use by many trucking companies.
