NEW BERLIN, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Velvac, Inc., a leading manufacturer of vision systems and components for the truck, bus, recreational and specialty vehicle industries, announced today that it has acquired the operations and major assets of Qualnetics Corporation, a pioneer in connected vehicle technologies. The new company will operate under the name of Road-iQ, LLC, and will remain based in Bellingham, Wash., led by Qualnetics Corporation co-founder Mark Moeller.
A recognized technology leader in the rapidly growing telematics/connected vehicle market, Road-iQ provides software and hardware systems for commercial and recreational vehicle fleet management, communications, and safety. Its flagship product, the Road-iQ VideoData Server, developed in partnership with Velvac, networks various data sources in the vehicle, including multiple on-board video cameras, and then communicates that information in real time to a tablet computer, providing recording and playback for training, security, and liability protection, as well as wireless communication to telematics service providers and fleet managers.
“The addition of the Road-iQ team and technology represents a logical progression of Velvac’s commitment to innovative vision systems that improve driver safety and well-being,” said Velvac President and CEO Jeff Porter. “Velvac takes the trend toward connected vehicles a step further by adding a unique blind-spot vision system that streams real-time video from on-vehicle cameras.”
Since launching its first integrated camera/mirror vision system in 2006, Velvac has introduced a variety of electronic vision technology designed to improve driver safety.
“It is clear that the adoption of new technology to improve vehicle safety is accelerating, both in passenger cars and in commercial vehicles,” Mr. Porter noted. “Road-iQ’s technical capabilities strengthen Velvac’s ability to bring fundamentally new products, embedded with cutting-edge technology, to the commercial vehicle, RV, and specialty vehicle markets.”
Added Mr. Moeller: “We are excited to partner with Velvac, which has an outstanding reputation and team. Better-capitalized engineering resources will help us get Road-iQ technology to market faster, and access to Velvac’s established channels will allow our products to be seen by more customers. This all adds up to an exciting next chapter of growth.”
Studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Center for Transit Research have documented the driver decision-making improvements made possible by remote camera views of the vehicle’s blind spots. In addition, the recording and wireless communication of video and other vehicle data provide an opportunity for effective driver training and increased liability protection. In certain vehicle applications, the ability to remotely view live camera views of the vehicle and playback “flagged event” data offers important security protection for valuable assets.
Qualnetics Corporation has been an industry leader in telematics (or “connected vehicle” systems) for over 11 years. Prior to starting Qualnetics, Mark Moeller co-founded Microsoft’s automotive software group in 1995. Moeller and his team are holders of numerous patents relating to telematics and connected vehicles and had primary development roles in many pioneering telematics products.
About Velvac
Velvac is a leading manufacturer and supplier of vision systems and component parts to the truck, bus, recreational, and specialty vehicle industries. Velvac has the broadest rear-view mirror product offering for commercial vehicle markets, from unique, proprietary mirror and camera systems to high-volume replacement mirror heads and service parts. Founded in 1934, Velvac is TS-16949 and ISO 14000 certified. Velvac’s corporate offices and aftermarket operations are located in New Berlin, Wis.; its complete, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is located in Reynosa, Mexico. http://www.velvac.com
