Investing in safety with telematics
Elliot Goff, head of sales at The Vehicle Group, discusses some of the factors to consider when choosing a technology provider
Modern telematics platforms are just as much about road safety and visibility as they are about fleet management and tracking. Today’s advanced telematics platforms have moved way beyond the traditional ‘dot-on-a-map’ solution, and the serious players are now just as focused on safety within their platforms.
They are offering unified systems that come with video telematics, driver behaviour technologies, risk management, complex reporting and even artificial intelligence.
Telematics today encompasses a whole new ecosystem of additional hardware. Mobile phones, tablets and associated driver apps are now a big part of the offering. Moving into the future, as cellular data bandwidth expands from 4G to 5G, even more hardware and functionality will be available to fleet managers who have invested in choosing a system where road safety and visibility are integral to the improvement of their operations.
So what should the ‘futureproofing’ fleet operator be looking for? And what functionality should you really be expecting from a fully unified solution?
Fleet management and asset tracking
Every provider should cover the basics such as asset tracking, geofencing and fuel. But look for more! Additional sensor data such as real-time axle weight monitoring and reefer temperature can be invaluable data to have access to. Accompanying driver apps with real-time vehicle inspection uploading and defect reporting via tablets or smartphones should also be considered, as well as additional job management and fleet utilisation functionality.
Multi-camera and AI video
‘Multi’ is the key word here. The serious players now come with forward facing dash-cams and driver facing cameras – but what about the blind spot, cargo area, or the rear of the vehicle?
If you’re investing in video, make sure you have all your bases covered, or at the very least, the ability to be able to plug this solution in later on without having to change provider, or get an additional provider for the service.
Fleets are increasingly dependent on artificial intelligence (AI) to interpret their environments, broaden visibility, deepen their knowledge, and react appropriately, so choose a provider who can offer you these features too.
Driver performance and risk insight
Harsh braking, speeding, harsh cornering, even excessive engine idling: all of these metrics help you form an incredibly detailed picture of how your drivers are performing.
Look for a solution that will help you empower your drivers to improve. If you’re investing in video, look for a solution that recognises when a significant event, or a driver behaviour event, has occurred, automatically capturing the video footage and neatly packaging it for real time notification and review.
Tachograph and compliance
The top providers will also have the functionality to be able to tap into real-time tachograph data. Look for a system that gives you full, fleet-wide tachograph visibility as it is happening, allowing you to maximise drivers’ hours, download full monthly reports from the vehicle’s in-cab tachograph and notifying you of potential infringements – before they happen.
Ongoing support and platform training
Ensuring you have a provider who can support your team with the right training and ongoing support is vital. Look for a provider with serious experience in this area and the resource to be able handle your requests. There’s nothing more infuriating than being put through to ‘the switchboard’, so a named account manager is always beneficial.
In summary, ensuring your telematics platform is geared as much towards road safety, visibility and risk management as it is towards logistical management, is a safe bet when choosing your next telematics provider.
These technologies improve driver performance and make fleets smarter and more efficient. They are improving fleets’ bottom lines and helping them take a proactive approach to the avoidance of issues, downtime and liability.
