Smart Transport: improving your fleet management system with IoT

Fleet management and the need for an ever wider range of technology solutions are becoming more important as our society develops. Fleet management is also becoming a more flexible field due to the availability of SaaS software that can be used in the cloud and accessed from any computer. Fleet management allows companies to focus on what they do best: managing their core business. It also allows their team members to focus on improving the customer experience.

Fleet management has taken a new turn in recent years with the advent of third-party solutions and intelligent software (Fleet Management Softwares). Fleet managers can use these to leverage their existing IT expertise, while offering a complete solution to their customers with the best fleet management software.

With a complete fleet management solution, managers can determine how vehicles can be optimized to meet internal needs, as well as how the fleet can be monitored to ensure it is running smoothly.

Fleet management is a business that has been around for decades. The advent of computers and the Internet has radically changed the way fleets are managed. Traditional fleet management systems required large databases containing information and history of each vehicle, maintenance and repairs of all vehicles in the fleet as well as accidents or tickets paid.

Today, most fleet managers have access to data obtained through fleet management software (FMS) and from a digital source. They can view the data online from any computer.

These systems manage a fleet by creating driver management profiles that are typically designed to match the skills of individual drivers. A profile is then created for each vehicle, ensuring that the drivers are properly matched to the vehicles provided and that the necessary fuel is available. This process not only reduces the costs associated with fleet operations, but also maximizes driver productivity, for example when managing a fleet of trucks.

Vehicle telematics applications are used to monitor all the data that passes through the system and can be used for everything from improving fleet maintenance to maximizing fuel savings to reducing the risk of accidents or breakdowns. All data collected by the sensors is stored in a database that is used by the operator for planning and administration of operations.

​The Internet of Things is a collective network, which allows all devices in such a network to interact with each other. In most cases, this network consists of smart devices, ranging from computers, laptops, cell phones, tablets, etc., that can communicate with each other to allow fleet managers to monitor the health of vehicles as well as make critical decisions about the evolution of manufacturing processes.

In the case of vehicle fleets, these objects take the form of connected boxes, also called trackers, which are generally connected via an ODB (On-Board Diagnostics) port and allow the analysis of multiple parameters such as geolocation, speed, trajectory, consumption, brake wear and tear, battery level for electric vehicles, etc. Fleet management allows to manage a fleet of vehicles in a context of energy transition, by promoting eco-driving and using electricity.

To know everything about fleet management, you need to understand what is the role of connected objects in fleet management? Typically, a vehicle tracking system helps managers closely monitor the efficiency of their fleet, both financially and operationally. By implementing the system, they can monitor each vehicle in the fleet and make adjustments as needed. The same is true for the maintenance and repair department, allowing them to effectively address any issues that may arise and streamline their maintenance actions.

The potential for expansion of this system is very high, especially because it does not require additional investments for each individual vehicle to function properly.

As far as the automotive industry is concerned, many vehicle manufacturers are already implementing systems using the Internet of Things, or IoT, to optimize the management of their vehicle fleets: remotely controlling the transmission and diagnostics of vehicles, reducing costs, saving fuel, tracking maintenance, managing employee work schedules, etc.

Fleet maintenance has also become much easier through the use of real-time diagnostic tools and real-time data transmission from the system itself, rather than the previous process of manual maintenance or logbook checks by traditional mechanics.

IoT fleet management solutions are designed for companies that need to manage a number of vehicles in a fleet. These solutions use the internet and provide real-time reporting and analysis, making them ideal for the fleet manager. Today’s fleet management is very different from the days when it was just about monitoring fuel consumption and keeping track of your drivers’ driving records. With the introduction of GPS and other wireless technologies, fleet managers can now view their data online, enabling them to make fuel purchasing decisions and reduce costs while maintaining high productivity.

IoT solutions for vehicle fleet management enable, among other things:

• Instant improvements and quick decisions regarding user behaviour: speeding, unnecessary tyre wear, etc.
• Intelligent monitoring for preventive maintenance and reduced maintenance costs by calculating and optimizing the TCO of the vehicle fleet
• Optimization of delivery routes and rounds
• Greater speed in field interventions with real-time knowledge of failures
• Optimization of fuel consumption
• Maintaining engine performance

​The objects used to improve fleet management use 3 main technologies: RFID, GPS and OBD II.

Want advice on how to optimize your fleet management? OBD II and GPS fleet management systems help save money and provide real-time information on vehicle maintenance, geolocation, routes and driving conditions, while RFID helps control and track vehicles.