Volvo Trucks has launched a new service - Positioning+ - which monitors a vehicle's location in real-time.

It says the service is of particular benefit for instance to customers who operate time-critical services or who carry high-value items.

“One good example is in the concrete industry,” says Johan Östberg, product specialist at Volvo Trucks.

“Timing is everything – down to the very minute the truck must roll up to take delivery of its load.

"When mixing concrete, the mixture is individually adjusted to match the time needed for loading, delivery and casting.

"With Positioning+ it is possible to precisely determine when the truck will arrive and to prepare the concrete blend accordingly.”

Apart from the real-time positioning feature this service makes it possible to define a geographic area, a route or an entire country and receive messages every time a truck passes through these precise areas.

This is particularly useful in warehousing operations, said Volvo, where staff need to know when a truck will arrive and when it leaves, so they can carry out their follow-on activities.