Where do telematics currently sit in your business’ priority list?
Has the ability to deliver Connected Solutions been embraced, and used as a way to open up new customers and opportunities? Or are you still focused on delivering more ‘traditional’ services, and see the technology as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a core requirement?
Well, judging by the current rate of technology change in the market, it’s arguable that telematics is fast becoming a must have:
An attractive proposition
As these big numbers demonstrate, the use of telematics – IoT (Internet of Things) powered data analytics alongside advanced temperature and trailer monitoring – continues to grow. This is because the technology delivers a number of highly practical and relevant customer benefits, including:
- Cost reduction through proactive maintenance and repair
- Route optimization
- Monitoring driver behavior
- Increasing asset utilization
- Tracking loads for compliance and security
But looking ahead, this use of cold chain ‘big data’ is only set to expand in scope – with the introduction of new technologies set to take the concept of smart operations to a daring new level.
What are these technologies? Well below you’ll find a brief overview of the latest innovations, alongside insights into how these are helping drive exciting new developments across the transport sector.
Automated deliveries
It‘s no longer a question of ‘if’ driverless vehicles will enter the world’s transport networks – just when. In fact the UK government has already passed legislation (the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act, 2018) to help get automated cars insured on the road by 2021.
In the supply chain things are also getting interesting. For example the supermarket chain Ocado is well into its trial with Oxbotica in London to test the ability of driverless ‘vans’ (dubbed CargoPods) to deliver groceries over the last mile.
And of course with the large automated fleets of the (near) future comes the need for centralized monitoring of temperature conditions, door openings, and usage levels etc. – which brings us back to Connected Solutions.
Connected vehicles
Advancing the autonomous and connected truck conversation further brings us to the concept of ‘platooning’. Here the lead truck maintains control over the other driverless vehicles in a convoy – which follow in unison automatically (typically 1 second apart).
Volvo and FedEx are already partnering to test the technology in the US. While the ENSEMBLE project (featuring DAF, Daimler, IVECO, MAN, Scania, and Volvo Group) continues to push forward the platooning agenda – with the expectation of delivering clear benefits to transporters:
- Lower fuel costs (and the resulting decrease in CO2 emissions)
- More efficient traffic flow (leading to time savings and improved asset utilization)
- A reduction in vehicle maintenance by an estimated 5%
Smart roads
Finally there’s the concept of smart roads. These are highways studded with sensors that monitor wear and tear, are connected to the internet, and can ‘feel’ the vehicles using them.
