The Ehubo2 experience: We ask the drivers what they think

EROAD’s driver-facing telematics device was built with drivers in mind. To gauge how successful we’ve been and where we could take our product in the future, we asked drivers for their honest feedback, and the responses we got were both validating and illuminating.

The survey also invited open-ended responses about the Ehubo2. In compiling this feedback, we saw some recurring themes:

Speed management

The driver-facing Ehubo2 provides colour-coded alerts: Green means you’re good; orange, you’re slightly over the speed limit; red when you’re 5Ks or more over the limit in a heavy vehicle or 10Ks in a light vehicle, accompanied by a beeping sound.Here are just a few of the responses we received regarding speed awareness and control:

• “It has slowed me down and made me conscious of my driving”
• “Knowing your speed at all times and being told about your driving habits, good or bad”
• “A constant reminder that the flow of traffic in some cases is travelling faster than the posted speed limit”

Speed changes

Another frequently given and related piece of feedback was how Ehubo2 made it easy for drivers to identify speed limit changes, particularly in areas where posted signage was unclear, hard to see, or absent altogether.

• “Lets me know what speed I should be doing when I’m traversing different speed zones”
• “Live updates of what street you are on and accurate speed changes from road to road
• “I am conscious of local speed environment when signage is vague”

Visual clarity

In addition to colour coding, the Ehubo2 displays your current speed in large, easy-to-read digits. Many drivers found this useful for determining speed at a glance, plus the unit’s dash placement aligned better with their line of sight than the vehicle’s speedometer, encouraging them to check their speed more frequently:

• “It’s also a lot better to read (due to size) than a normal speedo”
• “Speed easier to read at eye level”
• “Clear, large-font speed display and GPS location security for H&S”

Convenience

And let’s not forget Health & Safety and RUC compliance:

• “All rego and road user charges are pre-paid for”
• “Instantaneous data, good recordkeeping”
• “The people are supportive and the technology saves me time”