Geotab launches keyless solution to help car sharing fleets

Geotab has launched Geotab Keyless, which integrates a secured digital key function with a and data-driven fleet management product.

Announced at the company’s third annual Geotab Mobility Connect conference last week, Geotab Keyless aims to allow public, corporate, leasing and government fleets to better analyse,  utilise and reduce their assets.

Christopher Mendes, VP of electric vehicles at Geotab, said: “Keyless vehicle access is critical not only for fleets seeking to improve cost and operational structures but also consumers, who are moving away from vehicle ownership and expecting an easier, more convenient driving experience.” 

According to a 2019 research report from Berg Insights, several car makers, leasing companies and car rental companies are introducing car sharing solutions for corporate customers. Telematics and smartphones will play a pivotal role, says Geotab.

Mendes explained: “Keyless is particularly advantageous for electric vehicle car sharing fleets, as the solution can reliably manage vehicles’ state of charge, charging status and range remaining —a capability no other keyless hardware competitor possesses.”

Geotab Keyless supports any make, model and year of vehicle that has a key fob, and provides access to the most extensive telematics data on the market including asset accounting, suitability analysis for corporate car sharing, vehicle management automation and remote vehicle management.

Fleet customers interested in implementing Geotab Keyless as part of their fleet management programme can choose to pair their Geotab telematics solution with a vehicle reservation system software partner of their choice in order to best meet their individual business needs.

Current global software partners for Geotab Keyless include Wunder Mobility, Ridecell, fleetster, Eccocar and Moove Connected Mobility. Alternatively, fleet customers can opt to create their own reservation software using Geotab’s Keyless APIs. 

Once a key fob is embedded into the hardware, drivers open their third-party software app on their phone, locate the OEM button on the screen and use the features to lock, unlock and start the vehicle.

In addition to phone apps, the keyless functionality can be enabled by NFC tags and directly over the mobile phone connection. Over time, the solution will expand to include other applications and third-party digital key hardware solutions, as well as OEM telematics’ APIs.

“Vehicle sharing is a cornerstone for building the future of mobility and evolving traditional vehicle ownership models,” said Stefano Peduzzi, VP technology solutions and operations Europe at Geotab.

“Geotab Keyless provides the simplicity and interoperability that will sit at the heart of car sharing’s success. We see a huge appetite across Europe for sustainable transport services, and with the launch of Geotab Keyless, we hope to help make that vision a reality.”

Currently equipping more than 2.1 million vehicles with its telematics technology, Geotab provides data-driven insights to over 40,000 customers worldwide and enables users to customise their solution through a suite of more than 150 hardware add-ons, software add-ins and applications available on the Geotab Marketplace.

As a result, the company processes more than 40 billion data points each day from Geotab-connected vehicles around the world. With active devices present in more than 130 countries, Geotab’s solutions are sold through its global network of Authorised Geotab Resellers.