Fujitsu-ICL and SPX Service Solutions Team to Give GM Dealers Nationwide Wireless Access to First Web-enabled Electronic Service Manual
15 November 2000
Fujitsu-ICL and SPX Service Solutions Team to Give GM Dealers Nationwide Wireless Access to First Web-enabled Electronic Service Manual
LA JOLLA, Calif.--Nov. 15, 2000--Fujitsu-ICL Systems Inc. announced today it is has been selected by SPX Service Solutions to provide wireless, mobile computers to support its new wireless information delivery solution.
The solution allows General Motors (GM) dealerships to give service technicians "under the hood" access to comprehensive service information. SPX Service Solutions is a unit of SPX Corporation and leading supplier to the global motor vehicle industry.
"This wireless solution is a first in the automotive industry," said Mark Palmer, GM senior project engineer. "By having wireless computers at the point of service -- meaning under the hood of every automobile being serviced -- technicians gain extraordinary time savings and ease of use. This increases overall productivity and cost savings for GM and its dealers."
With this system, service technicians at GM dealers can access the most current service manuals on line, including troubleshooting information, service procedures, recall information and product service bulletins. Instead of queuing up to pore through massive paper manuals, technicians are each equipped with their own wireless, touch-screen handheld computers that look up information via a Web browser. The solution saves time, increases productivity and profitability for the dealership and improves service to customers.
"Using this wireless network, service technicians are empowered to access mission-critical information systems immediately, from anywhere in the shop," said Bruce Minale, vice president product sales for Fujitsu-ICL. "And because the data is maintained centrally on the corporate mainframe, dealers can be sure that their technicians always have access to the most up-to-date information."
Historically, GM offered paper service manuals to its dealerships. The company now employs a PC-based system, through which technicians accessed information via a collection of CD-ROMs. Many dealerships, however, have only one computer available to their team of technicians, making it difficult for technicians to access up-to-date repair information quickly.
Now GM has made these manuals available through its corporate extranet, a secure Internet site available only to authorized users. And through this first-of-a-kind solution, technicians can use their handheld computers to find specific repair information at their individual workstations without waiting in line.
As part of the solution, collaboratively developed by GM and SPX Corp., Fujitsu-ICL provides Fujitsu TeamPad 7500 handheld computers which communicate via wireless local area network with a Fujitsu TeamServer on site. The TeamPad unit features a large, color touch-screen user interface and radio frequency (RF) support. The highly scalable TeamServer can expand to support the requirements of the largest dealerships by adding processors.
When a service technician looks up specific repair or product information, the wireless computer communicates the query to the local server via RF. The server accesses the GM extranet to obtain the information, which is then transmitted back to the handheld unit.
The handheld solution provides technicians with information at their fingertips saving time and improving quality of repair. This results in better service for consumers, as well as additional revenue for dealerships and service technicians, who are able to perform a larger number of jobs each day.
Technicians can use the wireless device under the car, under the hood or in the interior. On the screen, they can view complete service manuals that include detailed diagrams and technical graphics. With the system's advanced hot-spotting capabilities, users can zoom in and out, rotate images and focus in on particular areas of interest. Eventually, technicians will be able to view video clips detailing particular repairs and service techniques.
The system has been tested at the GM corporate repair facility in Warren, Mich., and several dealerships in the Detroit area.
Dealers can obtain the system through the GM Dealer Equipment program. The Kent-Moore Electronic Service Manual (ESM) is available to GM's 8,700 dealerships in the United States, which employ about 100,000 service technicians.
About Fujitsu-ICL Systems Inc.
Fujitsu-ICL Systems Inc. is a subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, a $50 billion provider of Internet-based information technology solutions for the global marketplace. The company targets retail, financial and e-Business services markets. Its Fujitsu Products division has almost 30 years experience in providing hardware/software solutions and services for retail point-of-sale (POS), specialized handheld computing and ATM applications. Its retail software and services division provides development and customization services and support for retail POS software applications. Its e-Business solutions division provides consultancy-led e-services and customer relationship management (CRM) that enable its clients to build high-value, personalized relationships with their customers.
Fujitsu's Web site: www.fujitsu.com SPX Service Solutions site: www.spxservicesolutions.com GM Dealer Equipment site: www.gmde.com
TRADEMARKS: TeamPad is a trademark of Fujitsu Limited.