Formed in 1981, initially as a design consultancy, Microbus started manufacture of its own single board computer products in 1986. These boards were supplied to OEMs and designed into products in the military, medical, industrial and telecommunications markets for applications requiring 24 hour, 7 day a week operation.
Microbus Mobile Data was formed by buying the assets of the In-Vehicle computing technology from Xyratex (formerly an IBM company). IBM had been in the early stages of developing an In-Vehicle computer and had defined the market standards. At that time Microbus was a supplier to the project from its OEM boards division. Building on the work done by IBM, Microbus used its extensive experience and technical expertise in the field of rugged PC computers to develop the range of In-Vehicle computers it sells today.
Since 1999, Microbus has had exceptional success in its initial target market, the UK Emergency Services. Many Police and Fire services now rely on Microbus for their In-vehicle computing. The largest single deployment in the world is believed to be London’s Metropolitan Police Service with 1,500 Microbus In-vehicle computers. This tender was won in 2003 after an extensive evaluation process by the Metropolitan Police Service, encompassing both UK and international suppliers of In-vehicle computers. The computers contribute to the safety of the officers and enable them to perform millions of Police National Computer (PNC) checks a year directly from their vehicles, greatly increasing efficiency.
In 2002 a contract was won to supply London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (LAS). Now installed in 500 Ambulances and Paramedic response cars, this deployment of Microbus In-vehicle computers has assisted LAS in achieving its target call response times and increased efficiency in life and death situations.
In 2000 Microbus started to supply Dial a Cab with 2,000 In-vehicle computers for its Black Cab Taxi service in London. Deployed for nearly ten years, this is still one of the most advanced taxi systems available, with integrated swipe card and printer facilities.
Building on its pre-eminent position as the number one supplier of In-vehicle computers in the UK, Microbus has expanded into International markets. With its strong background in technical excellence and support, contracts have been won in many countries around the globe.