On4 Communications Inc (ONCI)

[Breezerunner]

PRODUCT TESTING REVIEWS - Fleetsafer & bSafeMobile

So, as a holder of a large number of shares, I felt it made sense to test the products. I contacted Cogosense and setup a demo for my work vehicles with Fleetsafer. I also purchased two bSafeMobile beacons and downloaded the bSafeMobile app.

BSAFEMOBILE APP & BEACON PHOTOS

Photos of product and screenshots

https://bsafemobilephotos.shutterfly.com/pictures/5

First impression…whew…sigh of relief. Not that I ever doubted, but very real and legit. Professional packaging and good instructions. Easy to plug in the OBD beacon. My vehicle is a 2015, did not test on older vehicles. Have now tested it in a BMW x5 and it worked perfectly.

Downloaded the app on a Samsung galaxy 7 android OS. AND on Samsung S6

The app basically allows for an administrator to run the show. You can then send out ‘invites’ to email addresses and add ‘family’ members to the group. You set what kind of notifications you’d like to receive and what email addresses will receive them. So, you end up with a list of ‘drivers’ that you manage. Or you can be the sole driver and self-administer. I can see that this app is targeted towards the family of drivers, but could be used for any ‘group’. You will receive reports on the drivers to see how often they call, text, tamper with the app.

Once the app was downloaded and the beacon plugged in, I was able to pair the device. It immediately saw the beacon in Bluetooth and connected as an ‘input device’. I didn’t have to do anything other than click on the ‘beacon’ in my Bluetooth settings. My phone still stayed paired with my vehicle for both phone and audio (which uses uconnect – a Toyota).

Once paired, every time I drove the vehicle, when I reached about 10mph (varies, seems to be more about context engine connection time than vehicle speed) my phone screen displayed the ‘curtain screen’, which is the safe mode. I was not able to do much of anything on the phone. I tried closing the app while driving, but before I could text or try anything, the safe mode curtain popped back up with a warning that driving and texting was unsafe.

There are ways to override. I can click on a button that says ‘Passenger’ and pretend I’m a passenger. I can unpair the phone.
All the ‘tampers’ and activity is recorded, however, and updates the day’s driving in the app. So, first day I had 2 tampers, 2 texts from the vehicle and 3 calls reported.

Tamper includes several detailed events... fiddle (which I believe was simply picking up the phone - had a bunch of these), home screen button pressed, handsfree disconnected, maybe others. All the negative events go against the driver score.

The phone connection with the vehicle was never broken. I could start my music before driving, change music while stopped. I could make calls handsfree and basically perform any functions that my handsfree is setup to do.

If you use your phone for nav, you would have to unpair the beacon for that trip. Discovered this is not true.

UPDATE: I tested nav while running the app. Before driving, loaded google map/nav for directions. Once driving, the Safe Curtain Screen popped up, but I was able to toggle between the map screen and the bSafe curtain screen using the recent apps button on Samsung Galaxy S7. Using nav did not hurt my 'driver score' and didn't count as a tamper.

Bottom line, you are unable to text or email while driving. You are free to do anything while stopped. Several times I tried to text while at a light. Once I started driving and speed got up to 10mph or so, it jumped to curtain screen safe mode...no more texting. Those who texted me while I was driving received an automated message informing them I was driving and would reply later (similar to some vehicle pairing settings), but also included a Cogosense logo and link to Cogosense. Good advertising opportunity without being in-your-face annoying. Can't figure out how to turn off my phones auto-reply that I previously setup when pairing my phone with u-connect in vehicle. So now I've been sending two auto replies to texts.

I also tested out their support by sending an email that I needed help installing and setting up app. Within an hour, I received a reply from [e-mail] offering help. Not immediate, but not bad. There is also [e-mail]

My takeaway was that I plan to leave it setup in my car and put the other in my wife's car. Didn’t impede me at all…forced me to use handsfree when previously I would pick up the phone out of habit.

The app seems very focused on driver score and reporting on driver behavior. Website says that it also monitors hard braking, speeding and excessive acceleration, but I had no warnings for those...didn't make any effort to though...that'll be another day of testing.

Very easy to shut down app by clicking 'PASSENGER' and 'CONFIRM'. Two clicks. BUT...this notified the admin of the event and effected by driver score.

I also made use of the END OF DRIVE feature to trick app. When the vehicle is stopped for a period of time, the app changes to END OF DRIVE? and can click to stop app. Then if you start driving again shortly after, the app will report this event and effect driver score. Again...it is possible to shut down, but its all about reporting and scoring driver safety rating.


Fleetsafer by Cogosense - Product Review UPDATE II

FleetSafer® by Cogosense is a software solution for smartphones and tablets that automatically detects driving status and enforces compliance with corporate safe driving policies.

Review of app 10/13/2017 Updated 10/15/2017 Updated 11/5/2017

I recently tested Fleetsafer for possible use in my company vehicles. Mostly delivery drivers.

App photos and screenshots:

https://fleetsaferbycogosense.shutterfly.com/

The app has worked very well at doing what is described. The main purpose of the app is to reduce distracted driving and report driver status records. This is where Fleetsafer excels over other apps. Its reporting is robust.

I've included photos to detail the reporting features. The administrator/manager is able to drill down into the detail of single team driver and pinpoint 'events' with the cell as they occur. Each single event can be drilled into - even to the detail of a map showing the exact location and timestamp of the event.

Review:
Testing the app involved communicating with Cogosense and expressing my interest in trying out the app. I run a business that maintains drivers on every level…from manager vehicles to delivery trucks, to semi-trailers and pups. We are certainly a target company for the product.

Communication with Cogosense was easy and very professional. All of my questions so far have been answered promptly and fully. I have communicated with sales, management, and tech. All levels proved professional and thorough. I received documents detailing all steps.

I am not new to OBD devices and driver tracking, but at this point we have not used anything that controls the drivers personal cell device and blocks any apps.

There are two ways to run Fleetsafer. GPS mode and OBD connection. They are both equally accurate, but they vary in desired use. Since my employees use their own cells and we provide stipends, my method of use would likely be an OBD connection. Otherwise, the app will control the device in every vehicle they ride in. Easy enough to switch to passenger mode, but for simplicity, best to run on OBD in that case. If an administrator provided company cells, then the safest, best method would be GPS mode.

That said, I tested bSafeMobile in OBD mode and Fleetsafer in GPS mode. Both work as they should.

Update II:
I have now tested Fleetsafer in OBD mode as well. It works with the same beacon as bSafeMobile. In fact both apps will connect to the same beacon. The basics of the beacon is to provide context engine info from the vehicle back to the device.

Fleetsafer operated in a similar way to bSafeMobile (or I should say the other way around, since Fleetsafer has been out for much longer – far more updates as well, so likely fewer glitches at this point in time). Like many apps, installing requires allowing the app admin control over certain cell functions;

a. Enable Device Management
b. Control Volume Muting
c. Disable Touch Screen
d. Use Current Location
e. Make Phone Calls
f. Send Text Messages
g. Search Your Contacts
h. Apps That Can Appear On Top

If you don’t allow admin, you can't install. Likewise, removing the app takes an additional step. You must go to security settings and disable Fleetsafer as an administrator before uninstall. This is clearly explained in the administrator’s info. I believe that’s where some of the online comments of ‘can’t uninstall, this is a virus’ come from. Lack of knowledge on the user’s part – perhaps downloading from store without knowing what the product is.

Testing the app came with a 3 page install guide, a 2 page uninstall guide, a 3 page quick reference guide, and a 31 page detailed administrator manual. The reporting features are quite robust.

When the FleetSafer app is installed you will notice the location icon on the top left hand corner of the screen and also the FleetSafer icon on your desktop.

Certain apps can still be performed (approved), such as navigation, where it allows the user to toggle back and forth between the curtain and the nav screen. No driver penalties for using approved apps. For devices running Android 6 and below, Fleetsafer will still have the curtain screen with approved application tiles on it (if the approved application is configured). The latest update (requires android 7) has an option for a transparent screen such that the user can still see the approved application running on the foreground. It is important that the Android 7 user to launch the approved application prior to driving detection. The transparent screen allows the user to see what is running on the foreground but the touch screen will be non-responsive if the user touches it. I did not test the transparent screen, but plan to do so.

Once the safe curtain screen is activated, the driver can not text or use the phone, outside of approved apps. Trying to close the app will pop the screen back up in 2 to 3 seconds and records an event in that specific driver log. Drivers can click on ‘Passenger’ and confirm to close the curtain. This action is also indicated in the driver log, along with the map location of the event. When the vehicle has been stopped for a while, the curtain displays ‘End of Drive?’. The driver can click and close the app by ending the drive. However, if the vehicle begins motion again, the event is recorded in the driver log as prematurely ending drive. It all works pretty smoothly.

Handsfree devices may be used, unless the administrator has disabled handsfree for that particular driver. Lots of admin level control over each specific driver. I can certainly see differing levels based on driver grade.

I would highly recommend use of this app wherever team driver monitoring and grading is applicable.

Update II:
Shutting down the app is as simple as clicking twice. Once on 'PASSENGER' and once to 'CONFIRM" you are a passenger. This event detail gets logged and reported, with time stamp and map location. So, it's not that you can't shut down the app, it's that you can't get away with shutting down the app. The admin/employer will know what is being done.

I see this as a very effective way to encourage good driver behavior and save money at every level. Insurance reductions would be a prime use. I could even see structuring bonus pay based on driver performance scores. And on the flip side, the removal of drivers with low scores.

SUMMARY
Both bSafeMobile and Fleetsafer function in similar ways. Basically to put up a curtain screen, blocking phone use while the vehicle is in motion. That's the very basics of both apps. The bigger difference between the two is in reporting level. Fleetsafer is more robust in its reporting and driver management.

With both apps, there are ways the user can override the system. However, these trigger reported 'events'. While the functionality is designed to stop the text use, and it does that for the most part, it's essentially a tattletale to whomever is admin of the system. Parents, school bus administrators, rental agencies, fleet managers, business owners, insurance providers, etc, etc.

To put the Aegis apps up against competition, I also downloaded the AT&T Drivemode app and took a spin around the block. On the surface it is basically the same thing as bSafeMobile. They both put up a curtain screen 'safe mode' when driving.

There are several key differences.

Drivemode must be started. When you get in the car, you have to physically open the app and click the 'ON' button displayed.

Then the app utilizes GPS to extrapolate vehicle speed and decide if the vehicle is in motion. Not the same thing as hardware that communicates with the vehicle.

bSafeMobile app is running when getting into the car. Once paired with the beacon, it remains paired to the vehicle beacon.

I think that vehicle communication is the key to bSafeMobile and I'm sure one of the selling points with dealerships and manufacturers.

One way or another, these apps WILL be bought out IMO

What do I think about them? I think that these apps/beacons are going to save a LOT of lives and that shareholders are going to make a LOT of money. Breathe easy longs....it's the real deal! $$$$$

$ONCI