Today’s fleet managers must deliver more value than ever with the resources they already have on hand. You will start to see your colleagues relying on connected platforms more than in the past to reduce costs, improve safety, and optimize productivity. Understanding some of the top trends will help you stay on top of innovation.
The Ability to Recover Stolen Vehicles
Business’ vehicles are often stolen because of the cargo they carry, not so much for the vehicle. You can implement several security features to make it easier to recover the vehicle and catch the thieves. Adding a vehicle tracking device, such as a GPS tracker, can help the police follow your vehicle and recover it after it has been abandoned or parked. Make sure to educate drivers about how they should respond if they notice potential thieves, and ensure management knows the standard operating procedure if a vehicle deviates from the assigned route.
Another option is to add a dash cam, especially if it has multiple cameras to face both the inside and outside of the vehicle. This allows law enforcement to identify the faces of the thieves. Wireless dash cams in particular offer plenty of benefits, like offering more storage capacity and access to your footage from any location. You can learn more about how to select the right types of cams for your fleet.
Continued Focus on Sustainability
The price of electric vehicles and their batteries has continued to decrease, and they are able to cover a greater distance right now. Plus, the country’s charging infrastructure has improved, meaning as homeowners are purchasing solar panels, businesses with fleets have started to replace traditional combustion engine vehicles with electric ones to follow suit. More fleet managers will be managing electric vehicle fleets, although the next several years will still have a focus on combustion engine powered vehicles. It’s a good idea to implement a solution that allows you to monitor both types.
Augmented Reality
This technology can be applied to every aspect of your fleet. It comes in the form of technology you can wear, and it can be used to train drivers and assist them while on the road. AR glasses allow drivers to quickly scan items and load them accurately.
Focus on Mobile Device Usage
You will have more ways to optimize your assets because drivers will start using their mobile devices even more when it comes to monitoring vehicle health paying for fueling, and automating inspections. You can track these types of inspections digitally instead of using a paper system. This reduces the potential for error and reduces the chances of the data being lost. You can assign drivers tools like cameras, barcodes, RFID cards, and key fobs so you can track behaviors.
More Importance on Video Telematics
Video telematics will be one of the most important areas of focus. Telematics helps you gain information on safety, and it allows you to take a qualitative approach. A safety program will help you monitor the behavior of your drivers and make changes where necessary. It can also help you monitor how efficient your routes and fuel usage are. Depending on your insurance provider, implementing a vehicle telematics program could help reduce insurance rates, saving you even more money.
Self-Driving Vehicles
Vehicles that can drive themselves are a dream of many fleet owners because of their focus on safety while on the road. Many accidents happen because of errors in judgement by humans, a self-driving vehicle could reduce the need for maintenance from an accident. They do not suffer from negligence, distractions, or fatigue. A fleet of self-driving vehicles can also streamline your schedule because they do not need to take breaks. While autonomous vehicles are not yet ready to be rolled out for fleets, they may become a trend in the future.
Use of the Internet of Things
Telematics and the Internet of Things are closely linked. The IoT allows you to install smart sensors that can alert you to issues that could result in the damage of cargo. It is connected with applications that will make it easier to efficiently manage your fleet. This type of online connectivity allows you to gather information directly from the driver console so you can be proactive about things instead of reacting after they happen.
