Internet of Things (IoT) is restructuring various sectors, including the transport sector. IoT connectivity, smart sensors, edge computing, mobile apps and cloud services are revolutionizing the way you interact with and use your vehicles.
An area within the transport sector where IoT applications can be of great importance is Fleet management. Fleet management is a complex process that involves many aspects. It concerns on the one hand the follow-up of vehicles and maintenance and on the other hand driver management. For fleet managers who have hundreds of vehicles under their care, manually keeping track of vehicles or critical data is very labor intensive. Today there are still companies that work with tables and old processes. But these are very inaccurate, causing downtime and creating communication gaps. Intelligent fleet management solutions based on big data, telematics, the cloud and the IoT are revolutionizing freight and transportation companies around the world.
As an IoT specialist and Connectivity Provider, in this article we give you a number of examples of how IoT enables various applications within fleet management. You can think of optimizing the entire fleet, or predictive maintenance of parts and systems.
Logistics and transportation are often associated with risks such as the lack of control over the weather, the high probability of fraud or theft and a wide range of assets to manage. The Internet of Things ensures that logistics can finally become a fully controlled domain, where all factors that can negatively affect the delivery process are neutralized or avoided. The arrival of the Internet of Things in the logistics sector has resulted in various applications. Below we explain some examples.
The implementation of IoT in the transport sector has led to a huge development in the field of fleet management. Trucks today are integrated with weight measurement, location tracking and various sensors. The volume of sensor data collected from a large fleet of trucks is stored in the cloud. This data is then processed through various analysis functions and displayed in a dashboard. A fleet manager can easily go through this information to monitor various parameters of its fleet. Below we tell about the 5 most interesting IoT applications for fleet management:
1. Improved vehicle routing and tracking
Today, fleet managers are making the most of telematics, an IoT application designed for vehicles. This allows managers to monitor their fleet 24/7 and reroute vehicles if necessary. This enables better planning, faster and more secure routing and therefore lower costs. In addition, real-time visibility helps you stay on top of things and react quickly to emergency changes, such as receiving instant notifications in the event of a car theft.
2. Optimized deliveries
Online stores make extensive use of the transport sector, and the IoT is driving further development here. According to Inbound Logistics, cloud-based GPS and RFID technologies allow fleet managers to automate delivery times to deliver goods or packages more efficiently and always have the right number of vehicles on the road.
3.Increase driver safety
Driver safety is a priority for all fleets. The IoT uses sensors that allow fleet managers to see engine start/stop frequency, braking behaviour, accelerator pedal mode and even sleep mode. Fleet managers can correct inappropriate behavior by coaching drivers and providing safety training. Sensors also allow you to track how much time drivers spend on the road and monitor their fatigue.
4. Predictive Fleet Maintenance
Fleet management software can make predictions based on direct measurements of equipment and contextual data such as weather, traffic, road quality and driving behaviour. By learning from collected data, specific failure scenarios can be identified based on the condition of individual vehicle components and the vehicle's operating conditions.
For example, maintenance requirements can be determined remotely and the fleet manager receives predictive maintenance alerts to reduce breakdowns and unplanned downtime.
5. Improve fuel efficiency
IoT solutions are indispensable for monitoring vehicle engine operation, as well as monitoring fuel efficiency. Connected smart devices send registered data to an online platform and help to find out, for example, the total distance that a particular vehicle has traveled and at what speed. By integrating IoT sensors into vehicles, fleet managers can receive real-time information about fuel consumption. This helps to track idle speed, which not only consumes fuel but also increases emissions.
Inspired by the IoT examples within Fleet management? We are happy to think along with you about smart connected devices within your company and finding the right connectivity. IoT gives you the opportunity to optimize the quality, sustainability and efficiency of your activities.
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Comgate's IoT/M2M bundles have been specially developed for M2M & IoT applications where network coverage, availability and network redundancy are essential. With an IoT/M2M solution you do not want to be dependent on a network, it must be available anytime and anywhere. Our IoT/M2M SIM cards can be used worldwide, are multi-operator and multi-network, depending on your preferences. For more information, please contact our IoT specialists at; sales@comgate.io.
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