16 minute read
CYBERKAR SYSTEMS
BY POLICE FLEET MANAGER STAFF
1. INTRODUCTION
The in-car setup of my patrol vehicle has become distracting and impacts my situational awareness while I am on duty. This is a statement heard all the time at Cyberkar from their police customers. As frontline police of cers are asked to adopt and learn more and more technology in their patrol vehicle, it must add to the stress and mental health of an of cer in the execution of their day-to-day activities. In addition, as more and more components get installed in the cabin of the patrol vehicle, these components may possibly be mounted in a way that prevents the airbags from saving an of cer’s life. To address these issues, Cyberkar provides simple, safe, and secure technology solutions that optimize the day-to day operational health and safety of the frontline police of cer and rst responder in the patrol vehicle. Cyberkar solutions enable more ef cient of cer use of technology in the patrol car by integrating with existing emergency and IT solutions installed in the vehicle. Cyberkar is a proud supplier to the law enforcement industry. Cyberkar is the manufacturer of the Kommander brand of in-vehicle technology hardware solutions and the RedAlert interactive software application, creating a more effective mobile of ce in the patrol vehicle.
2. VEHICLE ERGONOMICS AND OFFICER SAFETY
Cyberkar is dedicated to helping police service agencies, for which they have the greatest respect, passion, and experience. Today’s o cers are spending more time leveraging the existing cabin workspace in their emergency response vehicles. is cabin workspace has evolved to be equipped with an increasing number of technology solutions, thus limiting the available cabin workspace for the o cer to use.
One of Cyberkar’s core beliefs is that it is important to develop safe and ergonomic solutions for emergency response vehicles. ey strive to optimize installations, bearing in mind that o cers will use the solution provided for long hours in the restricted cabin workspace environment that is the vehicle. It is important for Cyberkar to o er an ergonomic workspace environment so that o cers have greater e ciency and productivity in their work, better health and well-being, and more satisfaction performing their duties. Cyberkar provides solutions that contribute to increased productivity of employees, while reducing any work disruptions resulting from emergency response vehicle accidents or collisions.
In the design of its solutions, Cyberkar has leveraged its expertise both in IT and emergency equipment installation and con guration of public safety vehicles. With this in mind, the Kommander solution by Cyberkar provides an in-car ergonomic o cer experience and Mobile Data Computer (MDC) workspace environment for law enforcement and public safety agencies.
Cyberkar developed Kommander based on feedback from police o cers across North America along with scienti c studies on the subject of in-car o cer comfort, health, and safety (see Figures 1 and 2).
Studies show that 37 percent of police officers polled in 2017 indicated that they have experienced body pain within the last year using traditional in-car mounted laptop systems. 87 percent of these police officers identified lower back pain in the driving position or sitting for long periods of time in a duty vehicle as the main causes of their pain. Police vehicle crash tests performed by a large law enforcement agency showed that there is a much greater “crush” factor between the door and center console during a vehicle side collision. The agency’s recommendation to the vehicle industry was that anything mounted in a duty vehicle between the front cabin seats now requires to be installed lower than the seat height.
OFFICER CONCERNS
AVAILABLE CAB SPACE DOES MATTER
e mounting of rugged laptops and tablets in squad cars, re trucks, ambulances, and other public safety vehicles has its pros and cons. ese devices are removable, but that portability comes at the cost of adding a mounted docking station in the vehicle. Because laptops and tablets are not designed speci cally for law enforcement in-car applications, other electronic devices are required in parallel to complete the system – adding complexity, taking up space, and increasing overall agency costs.
RELIABILITY AND SAFETY
e extra components required also mean that there are additional wiring connection points in the vehicle, which reduces reliability. Even when secured in a docking station, a laptop can become a projectile hazard when the airbags are deployed. An impact of the airbag slamming into the laptop can cause it to close on the occupant’s hands or break free from the docking station.
ERGONOMY
e typical mounting of Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) and rugged computers in duty vehicles, speci cally mounted on the center cabin console, require the o cer to twist his or her back in order to use the keyboard for typing in events and accident reports, thus limiting the o cer’s movement in the front cabin and potentially causing short- and long-term health issues.
HOW CAN KOMMANDER HELP?
PRIORITIZED OFFICE SAFETY
Many public safety organizations are realizing that there are better alternatives to xed, mounted, integrated touchscreen displays in duty vehicles. By permanently mounting a computer into the vehicle dashboard frame, Kommander is a much safer o cer option during a collision. Furthermore, because Kommander is embedded in the dashboard, it is one of the few solutions that does not interfere with the duty vehicle’s airbag deployment zones. In addition, permanent vehicle mounting allows Kommander to have a direct interface to the vehicle at all times. Kommander has access to duty vehicle information from the engine computer, sensors, actuators, cameras, and antennas.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT ZONES
Police vehicle manufacturers continue to advise that driver/passenger vehicle airbags a ect the way police equipment can be mounted in police vehicles. In general, the mounting of emergency or other technology equipment must not interfere with driver visibility nor interfere with the deployment of the vehicle’s airbags.
Any surfaces or equipment that could come in contact with an airbag during deployment must not damage the airbag or alter its deployment path. e deployment of airbags is not compatible with any con guration of police equipment mounting that places objects in the airbag deployment path. Equipment mounted or placed in the deployment area of an airbag will reduce the e ectiveness of the airbag, damage the airbag, and potentially damage or dislodge the equipment. Failure to follow this guideline could result in serious personal injury to the police o cer. e abovementioned advisory was taken into consideration in the design of Cyberkar’s Kommander solution components.
ERGONOMIC DESIGN
By eliminating the need for the in-car mount and docking of touchscreens and computers (laptops, tablets, smartphones), Kommander uses dramatically less cabin space compared to a mounted computer laptop or a tablet solution – where in some cases, access to an entire seat in the front cabin can be reclaimed. In fact, as the Kommander computer and touchscreen display is embedded in the dashboard, precious space is freed up between the front seats, giving more room for the o cer while still o ering a large and comfortable work environment. e technology within the Kommander solution was developed to keep an o cer’s hands, elbows, arms, head, neck, and shoulders in a comfortable ergonomic position with less or no movement while executing his or her tasks. Kommander o ers a large, swiveling 12-inch touchscreen display for maximum o cer viewing and working comfort. (see Figure 3)
FIGURE 3 BLIND SPOT IN FRONT OF THE PATROL CAR AND THE OPTIMAL CONE OF VISIBILITY
CUSTOMIZABLE
Because each police service is di erent, Kommander can be customized and optimized for each law enforcement work environment. Kommander makes the work environment as simple and user-friendly as possible. dent/collision. Furthermore, because Kommander is embedded in the dashboard, it is one of the few solutions that does not interfere with the vehicle airbag deployment zones. In addition, the permanent vehicle mounting means Kommander always has a direct interface to vehicle components such as the engine computer, sensors, actuators, cameras, and antennas.
TRANSFERABLE BETWEEN VEHICLES
RELIABILITY AND SAFETY
e Kommander rugged in-dashboard computer is made for in-car use, compliant to ISO-16750 standards. It can be used in harsh environments from –40F (-40C) up to 185F (+85C) temperatures and have a ve-year mean time before failure (MTBF). Expected operational life is 10 years. All the vehicle, machinery, and industrial environmental criteria is quality tested by a worldwide member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). e non-necessity of a computer docking station, a fully integrated feature set, a unique aggregated sealed cabling, and the robust military-grade design all combine to give the Kommander solution signi cantly higher reliability over today’s traditional mounted and docked rugged computer solutions.
3. THE KOMMANDER SOLUTION
Kommander is an advanced, technology-rich, aftermarket indash and mobile workplace platform for police duty vehicles providing o cers with an e cient operational workspace that maximizes o cer comfort, health, and safety in the vehicle. Cyberkar currently has Kommander design con gurations for Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet police duty vehicles.
OFFICER HEALTH
Traditionally mounted display and computer installations take up space in the vehicle and require the o cer to twist his or her neck and back in order to access the keyboard and computer for typing in events and reports, thus limiting o cer’s movement in the vehicle and potentially causing short- and long-term health issues.
OFFICER SAFETY
Many law enforcement agencies are realizing that permanently mounted integrated smart displays are the bene cial alternative. By permanently mounting a touchscreen display and computer to the vehicle frame within the dashboard and freeing up cabin space, Kommander is a much safer solution in case of an acciKommander components are designed to be transferable from one model of duty vehicle to another. Consider the scenario where an agency installs Kommander in a Dodge Charger (sedan model) duty vehicle and keeps the vehicle for typical service duration of time (say three years) before retiring the vehicle. After the three years, no major reinvestment in the same technology is required by the agency, since the Kommander mechanism can be transferred from the Dodge Charger duty vehicle being retired and installed in a new Ford Interceptor SUV model duty vehicle. Only a small cost for a replacement vehicle-speci c Kommander plastic dash trim kit for the new Ford SUV model duty vehicle is needed. Kommander comes with a standard two-year warranty with an extended low cost 10-year warranty payable annually to protect your investment.
Current Kommander supported police model duty vehicles are the Ford Interceptor (sedan, SUV, and F-150 models), the Dodge Charger, and the Chevy Tahoe. Kommander for other police model duty vehicles are under development consideration based on customer demand.
4. KOMMANDER COMPONENTS
KOMMANDER IN-DASH MOUNTING SYSTEM
e foundation of the Kommander solution is the Kommander indash trim and swivel mechanism. e solution is designed to lower in-car o cer operational stress by making it simple for o cers to operate in-car technology. e solution o ers a centralized in-car o cer command center where a touchscreen, docking station, or tablet can be mounted as well as a mobile keyboard. e solution is designed and maximizes o cer workspace e ciency with overall o cer comfort, health, and safety in mind. e footprint of the solution frees up vehicle cabin space and is out of the damaging airbag deployment zone in case of a vehicle collision where mount components can dislodge, endangering o cers. e solution is designed to minimize distractions by automating o cer tasks while operating a police vehicle, allowing o cers to focus and keep their eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel when needed.
THERE ARE THREE KOMMANDER SETUP BUNDLES (LITE, BASE, AND PRO) FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE.
KOMMANDER LITE VERSION:
e Kommander LITE version is available where agencies can leverage the o cer in-car bene ts of the Kommander swivel touchscreen embedded in the dashboard. e 12-inch touchscreen delivers 1400 nits of brightness for superior readability in sunlight and can be used with an existing IT computer investment of an installed rugged tablet/laptop/smartphone. For maximum o cer health and safety, we suggest that all in-cabin vehicular components (screens, docking stations, tablets/laptops/ smartphones, etc.) be installed securely outside the vehicle airbag deployment zones, as these components can become dangerous projectiles to o cers when vehicle airbags are deployed during a collision. e Kommander LITE version also includes a mobile keyboard. e Kommander Lite version comes optionally with the RedAlert menu software, providing o cers with centralized control and quick access of agency IT applications in the vehicle.
KOMMANDER BASE VERSION
e Kommander BASE version is the Kommander LITE solution with the optional Kommander rugged Windows 10 computer included. e Kommander rugged computer has a small form factor and is embedded in the dashboard, freeing up valuable cabin space, complex wiring, and servicing time in the vehicle. e Kommander rugged computer is built for vehicle wear and tear and vibration, has two embedded LTE modem ports, and connection to the vehicle OBDII data network for vehicle telemetry data. e Kommander BASE version comes with the RedAlert menu software, giving o cers centralized control and quick access of agency IT applications when they are in the vehicle.
KOMMANDER PRO VERSION
e Kommander PRO version is the Kommander BASE solution plus o ers o cers centralized quick-access buttons to installed vehicular and IT technology directly from Kommander touchscreen buttons, steering wheel auxiliary buttons, and from the Kommander emergency lights and siren digital control pad. Kommander PRO is not vendor dependant and can be integrated into multiple vehicular technologies from various manufacturers (lightbars, sirens, in-car video, license plate readers, radar, etc.). Intelligent idle time management, run-lock mode, and automated anti-theft vehicle protection features are also part of Kommander PRO, contributing to carbon footprint and fuel savings. e Kommander PRO version comes with the RedAlert menu software, providing o cers with centralized control and quick access of agency emergency equipment in the vehicle.
RUGGED KEYBOARD KIT:
e Kommander Ergonomic Keyboard kit consists of a rugged keyboard, a quick-release keyboard tray, and a sliding motion attachment. e entire motion attachment can rotate the keyboard 360 degrees and provides the attachment with 5.5 inches of a slide motion. is allows the printer to be in a comfortable position for either the driver or the passenger in the front vehicle cabin. e quick-release keyboard tray has a push button lock for easy keyboard release to position the keyboard on your lap if desired. e push button has an incorporated key lock as a theft deterrent.
Cyberkar has tested and recommends four di erent rugged keyboards, each with di erent characteristics (chiclet versus rubber keys, backlit keys, etc.) for the optimum t for the user.
CYBERKAR EMERGENCY KEYPAD WITH JOYSTICK:
Cyberkar o ers a customer programmable and compact emergency keypad with joystick as an option. is keypad can provide users
with rapid-touch button access to Kommander connected functions (emergency lights, sirens, blackout mode, IT applications, etc.). e eight touch buttons are con gurable with constant or slow ash illumination. e keypad is connected to the Kommander PRO auxiliary controller on the Kommander private CAN-bus vehicle network.
CYBERKAR MOUNT-READY GLOVE BOX:
Cyberkar also o ers a customized mount-ready glove box where a printer, a small removeable computer tablet and docking station, a xed computer appliance, or other in-car components can be mounted on a raised custom mounting plate built into the Cyberkar glove box door. e Cyberkar glove box option is currently available for Kommander supported police model vehicles. Having components in the Cyberkar glove box saves on interior cabin space and equipment install time. Mounting components in the glove box is out of the way of the vehicle airbag deployment zones and provides the safety needed for o cers.
CYBERKAR HEADLINER CONSOLE:
Cyberkar o ers a customized mount-ready Cyberkar overhead angled ceiling (headliner) console where in-car components can be mounted for ergonomic access by o cers. e Cyberkar headliner console option is currently available for Kommander-supported police model vehicles. Having components in the Cyberkar headliner console saves on interior cabin space and equipment install time. Mounting components in the headliner console is out of the way of the vehicle airbag deployment zones and provides the safety needed for o cers.
REDALERT CONTROL MENU SOFTWARE
Available with all Kommander versions, the RedAlert control menu software system o ers large-format, on-screen menu buttons to virtually access and to seamlessly switch between various software applications on the computer in the vehicle, as well as external devices, emergency lights and sirens, and computer desktop controls (sound, volume, brightness, mute, blackout, etc.). RedAlert allows for intuitive on-screen navigation for the o cer.
Your IT administrator controls how RedAlert is con gured via the Kommander Builder RedAlert Con g Application. e RedAlert user only has control and access to the RedAlert control software menu system and not directly to the computer in the vehicle itself. e user is permitted to use the RedAlert software and toggle between speci ed PC applications approved by the IT administrator. e IT administrator can also restrict the user access based on time of day, if the VPN is active, or during a scheduled maintenance. e RedAlert software can also block the user into that speci c desktop environment, restricting the user to a permitted area of use.
RedAlert comes with pre-built menu page templates, but your IT administrator can create multiple RedAlert menu pages based on the needs of your agency and how you want the RedAlert user to interact with the system. e RedAlert Event Manager feature allows the software to interact with the car by monitoring speci c vehicle telemetry and with external vehicle equipment. e Event Manager allows the o cer to “trigger” and “automate” speci c redundant user task activities when a desired condition occurs. Example 1: When the rear prisoner door opens (RedAlert monitored telemetry info from the vehicle CAN-bus vehicle network), the prisoner back view camera is activated. Example 2: When a speci c steering wheel button or horn is pressed (info via CAN-bus network), RedAlert activates and displays a speci c desktop software application. All con gurable by your IT administrator.
