A LANARKSHIRE firm which has developed equipment to enable bus operators to track vehicle odometer readings and fuel usage remotely through the Internet of Things, and detect fuel leaks, is celebrating a “landmark contract” with Nottingham City Transport.

The contract is for the installation of Bellshill-based FUELlink Systems’ smart data collection devices on environmentally friendly bio-gas buses in Nottingham. New bio-gas buses in the city have been fitted with the capability to integrate with FUELlink’s small, Internet of Things-enabled device, called “VINIE”.

This device was developed by FUELlink with support from CENSIS, the Scottish Innovation Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems.

VINIE is fitted to the dashboard of buses, allowing fleet operators to monitor and store data obtained from the vehicle’s engine management computer, such as odometer readings and fuel usage. It can detect fuel leaks and be used to set miles per gallon targets.

The VINIE device was originally retrofitted to two operational buses as part of a trial with Nottingham City Transport. This trial has since resulted in an order for 23 new bio-gas buses to be VINIE-enabled. An additional 30 Nottingham City Transport bio-gas buses will be retrofitted with the technology as part of the deal.

John Ashley, director at FUELlink Systems, said: “At the moment, we’re focused on introducing the product to local authorities, bus operators and haulage firms, but in the future, we hope to diversify and allow companies across industries to take advantage of VINIE’s...capabilities.”