Vehicle Fleet Management is an evolving industry that has afforded companies opportunities for more secure management and more effective fleet operations. Driven by its constant innovations, the field of fleet management has developed and utilised incredible technologies to transform business’s vehicle fleet management for the better.
Seemingly endless technologies and innovations in the corporate world and global markets need to be met with equally innovative services that add value for the customer. Fleet operations are adopting new and better solutions as they are looking for ways to improve productivity and overall management; making the jobs of fleet owners and managers easier.
It is often thought that fleet management is limited to a black box and a bit of software. There is so much more to the comprehensive and ever-changing fleet management software and additional technology options that are enhancing fleets everywhere.
The innovative technologies evolving Vehicle Fleet Management
By affording developers the opportunity to use innovative technologies in the design and provision of a service – not requiring one of the fleet vehicles – reducing costs and workloads. Primarily, advancements in Vehicle Fleet Management are built on the disintermediation of vehicles by utilising the incredible advancement in remote visualisation. Being able to see a fleet in action at any time, from anywhere, gives fleet managers the opportunity to monitor and improve their fleet operations like never before.
Communication is another fast-growing component of the Vehicle Fleet Management community’s use or creation of innovative technologies. There is a large demand for drivers to be able to contact fleet managers that might be far away and vice versa. The detailed information provided by the combination of video telematics, digital communication and management software help fleet managers design cost-effective and fully-informed operations strategies.
Dis-intermediating the vehicles of a fleet can be applied to run advanced remote diagnostics and new software that helps repair their vehicles perfectly. By limiting the need for technicians, fleet owners are able to maintain a fleet while cutting down on maintenance costs.
Fleet management and using the Internet of Things
Easily updatable and downloadable software is, again, one of the many advancements constantly happening in and around Vehicle Fleet Management. But, the Internet of things has done even more for fleet managers especially in the area communication. This means hassle-free communication across different vehicles and infrastructures that are able to connect drivers and managers. The Internet of things also provides huge amounts of on-demand, actionable data in real time through securely interconnected vehicles.
These data sets offer fleet managers the opportunity to partake in predictive analytics and, soon to be, prescriptive analytics that have added integrations like digital driver scorecards and route analyses. Not to mention, wearable technologies and other gadgets connected to the Internet make communication more accessible and information easier to record.
Social Media for fleet communication channels?
Social Media is another means of expanding the communication ability of any fleet. This is compounded by growing numbers of ‘next generation’ workers who can coordinate a transformation towards social media and more tech savvy management approaches. The incoming workforce is exploring remote work opportunities in the ‘Gig Economy’ that have already benefited the industry throughout fleet management.
Internal and marketing communication are at a new level of engagement and social media has been the key. Fleet management operations are primed to take the next step into business-focused social media communication and management. An opportunity to build community amongst drivers, managers and customers has been created in the wake of social media. A fully connected and integrated vehicle fleet network is on the horizon.
Technology’s influence on revenue generation for vehicle fleets
Technology will always have an influence on any business. For vehicle fleets, in particular, there are encompassing add-on values that can generate new levels of revenue using things like the Internet or video telematics. Operations are doubling and tripling as a result of online ordering services expanding with the ever-evolving Internet. Not to mention the addition of vehicle delivery markets that are having a significant impact on all consumer practices. From drones to automated vehicles; all advancements in motor vehicles will have an upward tick on the need for – and capability of – fleet management services and logistics. This will all improve the cost-effectiveness of operations as well as exploding the potential demand for delivery and long-haul services.
Electronic monitoring of fleet vehicles
Fleet operations and all drivers are, generally, held to working within normal hours and adhering to all road and safety compliance standards. Every driver and manager must follow this legislation but, additionally, they must be versed in the consignment details and expected delivery time to create precise operational solutions. This information makes managing fleets and decision-making easier and better-informed for the drivers.
Electronic or remote monitoring is made available by integrating a tachograph sensor into the fleet’s vehicle surveillance. This helps follow routes and times, optimising operations and streamlining tracking which includes a better understanding of driver behaviour and performance. This makes understanding everything happening within their fleet easier for a manager.
Autonomous vehicle fleets
The future of vehicle fleet management is more exciting than ever. With the advent of automated cars (and long-haul trucks close behind), there has never been a better time for vehicle fleet management. This game-changing technology is a viable business solution for anyone hoping to manage a large fleet of cost-effective, technical and productive vehicles that are fully monitor-able remotely and will now be controllable too.
As soon as automated vehicles hit the road; vehicle-on-demand and non-stop, long-haul driving services will be just the beginning. The addition of a service without the cost of human labour and less time will, inevitably, make fleet and delivery services more affordable and available. The operations of a fleet will always require human inputs but, for now, the future of autonomous vehicles looks to be, potentially, the biggest technological jump in Vehicle Fleet Management so far.
