The top 10 functions your connected vehicles should have

However, when choosing or modernising vehicles for a fleet, what should we be focusing on in order to make the most of the benefits provided by connected vehicle technology? Here are ten critical functions that your connected vehicles should have to enable you to build an smart, effective, future-facing fleet.

The question for consideration: Does your vehicle have a system that continuously reports on maintenance status and detects defects?

This function facilitates ongoing remote access to critical data on the vehicle’s technical status, from fuel level and tyre pressure to engine error codes and the status of the safety systems. For fleet managers, it provides the capability of monitoring the condition of every vehicle in real time, leveraging predictive diagnostics to identify potential problems before they become serious breakdowns and proactively planning maintenance and repairs. This minimises the risk of unplanned downtime, extends vehicles’ lives and significantly reduces service costs.

The question for consideration: Can vehicles receive new functions and fixes without a service visit?

Like smartphones, state-of-the-art vehicles are largely managed by software. The over-the-air (OTA) function facilitates remote, wireless updating of in-vehicle systems, from the software controlling the engine and gearbox, via the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) responsible for safety, to the multimedia and navigation systems. This is an enormous advantage for a vehicle fleet, allowing new functions to be introduced, performance to be improved, errors to be removed and security patches to be added without requiring the vehicle to go in for servicing. This saves time and money, while maintaining the fleet in top technological condition.

The question for consideration: Are your vehicles equipped with hazard detection, emergency braking and automatic driver assistance systems?

ADAS systems actively boost driving safety. They include collision warning systems, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning systems, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition. In the context of a fleet, these functions play a major role not only in reducing accidents and collisions, but also in protecting drivers and cargos. This results in reduced insurance and repair costs, as well as an enhanced reputation as a company invested in safety.

The question for consideration: Can your vehicles communicate with traffic lights, other vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure to improve traffic flows?

Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology enables vehicles to communicate with their surroundings, in other words, with other vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle; V2V); road infrastructure, like traffic lights and signs, for example (vehicle-to-infrastructure; V2I); and even vulnerable road users (VRUs), such as pedestrians and cyclists (vehicle-to-person; V2P). What this means for a fleet is real-time route optimisation carried out on the basis of traffic data and information received about potential hazards or accidents. In the future, it will also include synchronising with traffic lights for a smoother drive. All this translates into shorter journey times, lower fuel consumption and a higher level of safety.

The question for consideration: Do the systems adjust the vehicle, navigation and entertainment settings in line with user preferences?

This point may seem less important in the context of transport or logistics fleets. However, in shared fleets, such as vehicle sharing or short-term hire, or in fleets where drivers change vehicles, the facility for quickly adjusting settings like seat and mirror positions, favourite radio stations and navigation preferences on the basis of the driver’s profile is important. It reduces the time spent readying the vehicle, increases the drivers’ comfort and can affect their satisfaction. With transport fleets, personalised infotainment systems can also boost their well-being on long journeys.

The question for consideration: Does your system allow you to track your vehicles and both analyse and automatically determine the most effective routes?

This connected vehicle function is vital to any organisation. The continuous collection of data on location, speed, breaks and routes travelled allows fleet managers to monitor their entire fleet precisely in real time. Combining these data with advanced algorithms facilitates dynamic route optimisation that takes traffic, holdups and destinations into account. This leads to shorter journey times, lower mileage, decreased fuel consumption and reduced driver costs. Advanced fleet management systems integrate these data with schedules and orders

The question for consideration: Do your vehicles have location, remote shutdown and security alarm functions?

Given the value of fleet assets, effective anti-theft security is indispensable. Connected vehicles provide advanced functions of this kind. They include precise GPS tracking in real time; geofencing capabilities, where alerts can be set for when a vehicle leaves or enters a designated zone; remote immobilisation in the event of theft; and notifications about attempts to break into the vehicle or tow it away. The systems significantly increase the chances of recovering a stolen vehicle and act as a deterrent to potential thieves. This, too, can have an impact on insurance costs.

The question for consideration: Do your vehicles work with IoT devices at home, at work and elsewhere?

Within the wider digital ecosystem, connected vehicles can integrate with other IoT devices and platforms. This can range from simple functions, like opening a garage door remotely or turning on the lights at home as the vehicle approaches, to more complex integrations with logistics systems, such as shipment status linked to navigation or access to smart parcel lockers. This function opens up opportunities for process automation and creating seamless experiences for drivers and clients, as well as the potential development of new, innovative services.

The question for consideration: Are you equipped with tools for analysing the date from your vehicles in order to improve the efficiency, efficacy and quality of your services?

Connected vehicles generate vast quantities of date ranging from driving style characteristics like accelerating, braking and speed; fuel consumption, via routes travelled and length of breaks, to the status of the vehicle’s systems. Advanced tools for analysing and reporting on these data is crucial to fleet optimisation. It makes it possible to identify drivers’ inefficient habits so they can be offered training to eliminate them, optimise fuel consumption, plan maintenance precisely on the basis of real usage, analyse route profitability and monitor vehicle use. This is fundamental to making informed, data-driven management decisions.

The question for consideration: Is it easy to add new vehicle use options, like car sharing, electric charging or mobile services?

Automotive technology and business models are constantly evolving. The development of e-mobility, car-sharing services and mobility as a service (MaaS) are all examples of this. A connected vehicle platform should be open and flexible enough to allow new functions to be added easily in the future. This could mean support for charging electric vehicles, integration with vehicle-sharing platforms such as keyless access via an application or the capability of smoothly integrating new mobile services. This feature guarantees that your investment in connected vehicles stays up to date and will be capable of support your company’s growth in a dynamically shifting environment.

Having vehicles equipped with the functions listed here is a step towards building a smart, effective and safe fleet ready for the challenges of the future. Connected vehicles are an investment that delivers fast returns by reducing operating costs, improving safety, increasing driver and client satisfaction and making it possible to introduce innovative services.

If you are interested in exploiting the potential of this technology to the full and powering your fleet with connected vehicles, then don’t hesitate to contact us. Our experts will help you select and deploy a solution that is tailored to your company’s needs and will increase the value of not only your vehicles, but also your entire operation.