Skip to main content

Topcon offers the potential for smoother roads

An improved package from Topcon Positioning will allow upgrades in road surface quality. The firm is launching an upgrade to its SmoothRide data collection software. This new RD-M1 Collect 2.0 package includes updates that make the mapping of road conditions easier and more efficient. The improved interface is designed to simplify setup and automatically detect the position of the wheel sensor during data collection.
May 11, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
An improved package from 342 Topcon Positioning will allow upgrades in road surface quality. The firm is launching an upgrade to its SmoothRide data collection software.


This new RD-M1 Collect 2.0 package includes updates that make the mapping of road conditions easier and more efficient. The improved interface is designed to simplify setup and automatically detect the position of the wheel sensor during data collection.

According to the firm, operators can take advantage of the RD-M1 Collect 2.0 graphical interface status bar that indicates the optimum speed for collecting road information based on the project requirements. Capturing at proper speed is said to allow SmoothRide to achieve better results. The Memos tool is a new feature allowing operators to generate balloons with messages onto the map, while collecting data that also can be made visible in the processing software. This allows specific site conditions to be noted for future reference.

The new Manage Runs feature is designed to enable operation without necessitating Windows explorer to be open. The firm says that large buttons make using a tablet or laptop with touchscreen much easier. Operators can copy data collections to a USB drive, delete them from the hard drive, and add or remove them from the manager. The RD-M1 Collect 2.0 new Plan Route feature also allows for the import of kml files of predetermined routes. By using the new map downloader, operators can have map details visible while collecting data, without the need of an internet connection.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Manufacturers have developed key innovations in recycling machines
    March 4, 2015
    Manufacturers are making advances in stabiliser/reclaimers and milling machines - Mike Woof reports. The market for milling equipment is a competitive one, with a range of companies from around the globe now offering machines for this segment: BOMAG, Caterpillar, Dynapac, Roadtec, Volvo CE and Wirtgen. In recent years a number of Chinese firms have entered this segment and determining the number of machines these companies manufacture is difficult, although most of their units are sold in China. But interna
  • Software tools aid construction, reduce costs
    February 28, 2012
    Integrated construction software offers an effective planning solution - *Mark Nichols writes. In a world where resources are limited, 20 year designing and building in a sustainable way is more critical than ever. By employing today's software tools it is possible to reduce the total cost of construction of a new highway, while reducing operating costs and environmental impacts. The path to achieving the greatest gains is to take a holistic approach to the plan, design, construct and operate process from t
  • Quantm is making Trimble one of the world’s leading BIM market challengers
    December 19, 2016
    When Trimble first launched its Quantm software system a decade or so ago, the company was making an important step into end-to-end BIM modelling. The rules of the game were changing fast. Adrian Greeman reports When survey and machine control equipment maker Trimble bought the Australian road planning software system Quantm in 2006 it might not have realised quite what it was leading to. A decade later, Quantm is helping to put Trimble among the big players in the BIM (building information modelling) en
  • Innovations are pushing boundaries in the concrete road paving sector
    February 18, 2013
    The concrete road paving market continues to develop - Mike Woof reports Concrete road paving technology continues to evolve, with new equipment and techniques coming to market. Although concrete road construction has been used for many years, problems with early generation technologies affected this market segment. The first concrete roads were constructed in sections, which led to problems at joints but these were addressed many years ago with the advent of slipform paving. Concrete roads constructed in t