Roadside Assistance Provider Selection for Fair Commercial Towing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The commercial vehicle towing industry faces issues with overcharging due to a lack of standardized pricing and inconsistent regulatory enforcement, leaving trucking companies vulnerable to price gouging.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented roadside assistance system that monitors commercial vehicle operations during transportation instances to detect disruptions, provides instance information to assistance providers, and prescreens and selects qualified providers based on geographic proximity, capability, and rating to ensure fair and efficient towing services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standardized pricing and consistent regulation are implemented, then overcharging is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized roadside assistance management system that acts as an intermediary between commercial vehicles and towing providers. This system standardizes pricing through pre-negotiated rates, validates provider qualifications, and maintains regulatory compliance databases, thereby reducing overcharging while centralizing control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-screening and qualifying towing providers before incidents occur, establishing standardized pricing structures in advance, and maintaining updated regulatory databases. This preparation work reduces the need for complex real-time decision-making during emergencies.
2Productivity
If real-time monitoring and provider selection is automated, then service efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service functionality where the automated platform independently monitors vehicle operations, detects disruptions, queries provider availability, evaluates candidates against predefined criteria, and selects appropriate providers without human intervention. This automation improves efficiency while encapsulating complexity within the system boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops by monitoring vehicle operations in real-time, receiving status updates from providers, evaluating performance metrics, and adjusting provider selections accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables automated decision-making that improves service efficiency while managing system complexity through iterative optimization.
3Reliability
If comprehensive vehicle information is collected and provided to providers, then service appropriateness is improved, but loss of information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments vehicle information into distinct categories including operational data (telematics, sensor readings), vehicle specifications (type, size, weight), incident details (location, nature of disruption), and provider requirements. This segmentation enables targeted data transmission to providers, ensuring they receive only the specific information needed for their respective roles while reducing overall data burden.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer program product, and computing system for storing instance information regarding a transportation instance of a vehicle; monitoring operation of the vehicle during the transportation instance to detect operation disruptions; detecting an operation disruption incident for the vehicle during the transportation instance; and providing one or more assistance providers with at least a portion of the instance information regarding a transportation instance.