Trailer Tracking Hardware Vendor Matrix

ABI Research has prepared this matrix to give an unbiased rating of all prominent vendor offerings based on product implementation and innovation. Several criteria are evaluated towards determining the individual ratings for trailer tracking and monitoring hardware:

 
Implementation
Innovation
Score
Hardware Price
Door Sensor / Cargo Sensor
 
(25% of score)
(20% of score)
33
More than $550
N/A
66
$250 to $550
One of them
99
Less than $250
Both
 
Score
Dist. Channels
Positioning System
 
(20% of score)
(20% of score)
33
Direct-Only
RF or Cellular Triangulation
66
Distributors Only
Satellite-based
99
Direct + Distributors and/or OEM partners
Both
 
Score
Customer Base
Battery Options
 
(25% of score)
(10% of score)
33
Less than 25,000
N/A
66
25,000 to 50,000
Vehicle Power
99
50,000 or more
Solar Charger
 
Score
Hardware Configurations
System Differentiators
 
(10% of score)
(25% of score)
33
1 Offering
N/A
66
2 Offerings
Interesting but not killer app
99
3 or More Offerings
Truly differentiating
 
Score
Regional Availability
Communications Link
 
(20% of score)
(25% of score)
33
1 Region
One Way
66
2 Regions
Two Way
99
3 or More Regions
Over-the-Air Configuration
 

Rankings



After individual scores are established for Innovation and Implementation using the above criteria, an overall company score is established using the Root Mean Square (RMS) method:




The resulting overall scores are then ranked and used for percentile comparisons.

The RMS method, in comparison with a straight summation or average of individual innovation and implementation values, rewards companies for standout performance.

For example, using this method a company with an innovation score of 9 and an implementation score of 1 would score considerably higher than a company with a score of 5 in both areas, despite the mean score being the same. ABI Research believes this is appropriate as the goal of these matrices is to highlight those companies that stand out from the others.