FleetDrive 25 - October 2020 | Page 20

TOP 10

OF TECHNOLOGY & TELEMATICS

What are the new trends that will enter our fleet operations in the next 5 , 10 and 20 years ?
WORDS BY DANIEL BRAID

There ’ s no doubt that COVID-19 has

thrown an immediate spanner into the work of our daily operations . But as technology continues to evolve , it ’ s important for us to look ahead with optimism of what the future of fleet will look like once this pandemic is over .
As part of this special Technology focused issue of FleetDrive , below is an update of the top 10 emerging trends that you might find entering your fleet world very soon .

1Autonomous Vehicles ( AV )

Autonomous vehicles or self-driving vehicles aim to minimise the need for human drivers and looks likely to transform our everyday transportation . But what are the benefits of seeing these advanced vehicles on our roads ? Fleets of AVs can expand the scope of deliveries , reduce downtime , and aim to make public transportation relatively safer . AVs are equipped with advanced recognition technologies , such as AI-enhanced computer vision to identify obstacles along the route and to reduce fatigue or negligence .

2

Connectivity
Nowadays , vehicles come with a tamperproof digital identity that differentiates them from other vehicles in the network . This enables easy tracking of vehicle data for various use cases such as insurance , driver safety , predictive maintenance , and fleet management . Sharing vehicle data helps not just the individual customer but overhauls your entire mobility ecosystem .

3

Electrification
Our ever-depleting fossil fuel reserves and the harm to the environment caused by the use of internal combustion engine ( ICE ) vehicles encourages the obvious use of electric vehicles ( EVs ). But the challenge remains , how do we encourage fleets and the wider public to invest in them ? For greater adoption , EVs need to address issues such as high price , poor battery , inadequate charging infrastructure , fleet electrification , as well as powering renewable energy-based charging grids .
20 ISSUE 25 OCTOBER 2020 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU