eCall technology empowering fleet managers to keep their people and assets safe on the road
WORDS BY JULES SNOW
Fleet managers understand that their decisions are a critical element in the chain of responsibility , including the maintenance of their physical fleet assets and protecting the employees who drive them .
In many ways , company vehicles function as mobile workplaces for staff . By extension , occupational health and safety principles apply there as much as they do in the office or the factory floor .
Managing the chain of responsibility
One technology development that assists fleet managers in better managing this chain of responsibility , and providing the best care for their mobile workforce , is connected vehicle technology and services incorporating emergency call or eCall technology , advanced roadside assistance , stolen vehicle tracking and more .
These connected vehicle technologies , installed by several major carmakers , alert first responders in case of an accident or vehicle breakdown as well as facilitate effective stolen vehicle tracking .
Driver-safety a priority for Fleet Managers
According to research from AfMA , 72 % of all workplace deaths in 2019 involved an automobile , a statistic that pinpoints improved vehicle safety as a critical focus for improved OH & S in the – mobile – workplace .
Fleet managers are already moving in this direction . The 2020 ACA / AfMA Fleet Insights report found that managers with larger fleets are investing in new systems to manage their assets more effectively .
In fleets of 50 to 249 vehicles , safety is a priority for 35 % of fleet managers , and this figure increases to 55 % for fleets of 250 vehicles or more .
In Europe , eCall technology has been mandatory in vehicles since 2018 . It is still optional in Australia but may become a mandatory safety feature in new vehicles in the next few years .
Need of the hour
Intelematics provides an award-winning eCall service called ASURE , that has been installed in a range of new vehicles in Australia since 2020 .
Developed with feedback from first responding agencies , ASURE combines geolocation , automation and mobile connectivity that enables the vehicle itself to place a call for help in case of emergencies where a driver is unconscious or too injured to call for help or can be activated by pushing a button within the vehicle .
A rapid and effective call capability can halve response times , save up to 200 lives each year and prevent 2500 profound injuries .
For fleet managers , this technology presents a powerful opportunity to take the management of their chain of responsibility to a new level . By improving the safety of employees , it enables efficient utilisation of assets to get back to business as usual in the event of an accident . If vehicles or staff are out of action , fleet managers know that this hurts operations and potentially the company ’ s bottom line .
Beyond the safety implications , in the case of an accident there are resourcing issues around
20 ISSUE 31 OCTOBER 2021 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU