At Convoy Technologies, we’ve had a front row seat for some really cool developments in the telematics industry over the past few years. This is because, as our partners at Light Metrics have explained, “For many telematics service providers, video is the next GPS.” This means that video tracking is at the heart of the fleet management strategy of a rapidly growing number of transportation companies.
And the video telematics industry is on course to continue its rapid growth throughout the coming year. As adoption spreads into new markets in Europe and across the world, the near-at-hand trends the Light Metrics team encourages everyone to watch include the ongoing incorporation of AI, a focus on useful management tools over impressive-sounding lists of features, and a greater focus on the driver user experience.
The theme that unites all these developments is the prioritization of what works—both for the drivers and the fleet managers—over the simple addition of flashy new technological features.
And here are some of the developments we’re watching that fit into this same theme.
The Incorporation of AI and the Growing Reliance on Video
In the telematics market, video is quickly becoming as important to operations as location tracking. Managers don’t just want to know where their vehicles are, they want to be able to see what their drivers are seeing, and they want to see what’s going on around the vehicle as well.
As the Light Metrics team notes, telematics providers have been emphasizing edge AI and in-cabin coaching as differentiators for a couple years. But, by now, these are becoming standard features. The challenge is to stand out in a sea of solutions and deliver tangible value to fleet operators.
And this often involves integrating feeds from not just an in-cab or a single forward-facing camera. The more visibility you have into an incident—and into the circumstances faced by the driver—the more informed your responses will be. And, since the drivers’ own engagement and experience are crucial to a successful implementation, it’s important to provide them with greater visibility and control of their vehicle in any context.
Customizing Configurations
Fleet managers are becoming more sophisticated when it comes to telematics, demanding outcomes rather than just long lists of fancy features. Telematics System Providers are getting more responses like, Yes, your system offers AI-based driver monitoring and voice notifications. But does your in-cabin coaching measurably reduce distracted driving over time? Because you can’t have an effective business strategy based on technology alone. At some point, the investment in telematics will have to pay off by moving the needles that matter.
To accomplish this, fleets need more than a system they can install and switch on. They need a strategy. This often requires a close collaboration among not just the providers and the fleet managers, but the drivers as well.
The Importance of Driver Buy-in
For a successful implementation, user experience is paramount. If the notifications and coaching are overly intrusive or too-frequently deemed irrelevant by the drivers, they can lead to souring relationships and disengagement. And if the system doesn’t provide any useful information or any greater visibility, drivers will ignore it. Striking the right balance means ensuring seamless workflows that translate into reduced risk and improved safety on metrics like risky events, crashes, improved CSA scores, enhanced driver engagement, and better fuel economy.
Appreciating the driver experience and providing positive reinforcement should take precedence. One of the best approaches involves so-called gamification through driver apps, with plenty of incentives for safe driving. The key is to let the drivers know the system is there as much for their own benefit as for the fleet’s bottom line.
Flexibility and Simplicity
Emerging technologies like AI offer great opportunities. But it’s important that adopting them makes things simpler, not more complicated, on fleet managers and drivers alike. And, since every transportation company is different, this means providers must work with the stakeholders to create solutions with real, meaningful, measurable benefits. These solutions should be flexible enough to handle each company’s unique needs as they come up and change over time.
These are just some of the challenges and new developments to look out for in the video telematics industry in the coming years. Stay at the forefront of video telematics trends by following Convoy Technologies on LinkedIn for more insights and updates.
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