By Philip van der Wilt, senior vice president and general manager EMEA at Samsara
For those people responsible for managing fleets, the idea of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into day-to-day operations may sound a tad futuristic.
Some might even be forgiven for thinking that there is simply no role for AI in fleet management.
But scratch away at the surface and it soon becomes clear that not only is AI already being used, it is helping to transform fleets by making operations more efficient, cost-effective, and safer.
Take dash cams, for example. When they’re augmented with AI, they transform simple recording devices into virtual co-pilots that can detect tired or distracted driving and send in-cab alerts to inform drivers to keep their eyes on the road.
AI-enabled dash cams can also monitor unsafe behaviours such as speeding, harsh braking and tailgating, alerting drivers in real-time and pre-emptively stopping accidents from happening in the first place.
And if these actions continue, managers can be alerted automatically allowing them to intervene and organise training sessions as needed.
AI drives safety
In fact, according to Samsara’s recent State of Connected Operations report, half (49%) of the 1,500 industry leaders surveyed said that they use AI in safety and security applications, with a similar number using AI in driver assistance systems.
And of those currently using AI, 45% reported a marked improvement in the overall safety of their business.
It was a point underlined by Olivia Fagan, compliance officer at UK-based logistics and transport business, Fagan & Whalley: “Our training and compliance team can assess how aware a driver is of an obstacle on the road ahead, which lets us delve deeper to tailor our driver training. Driver safety is a key benefit of AI technology.”
As well as providing drivers with an extra layer of protection on the road, the report also found that AI is starting to make a real difference in day-to-day operations.
More time, more results
For instance, it found that AI can automate the more tedious, time-consuming activities — such as spreadsheets, workflows and other paperwork — and free up hours to focus on more important tasks.
Out in the depot or yard, AI can be used to maximise efficiency to save fleets time and money. Functions like predictive maintenance and traffic management — used by 51% and 48% of respondents respectively — mean that vehicles can spend more time on the road.
Customer support is another great example where AI is changing the way businesses operate. More than half (52%) of those who took part in the survey said they used AI to provide customers with round-the-clock support.
Overall, the report found that 43% of businesses have seen a significant uptick in operational efficiency, and 42% reported a boost to employee productivity since implementing AI.
The main message from the report is that while AI usage in logistics is still in its early stages, it is undeniably here to stay, with 93% of those surveyed either currently using it, or planning to in the next two years.
A safer, more efficient solution
All of this data suggests that AI can lead to improvements across multiple areas within fleets. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. When it comes to AI, we are at the beginning of a journey.
But whichever direction takes, one thing has to be understood from the outset: AI is fuelled by data. The better the data, the better the outcomes. So investing in AI also means fleets also need to invest in digital management platforms capable of providing accurate real-time data.
For those already on the digital transformation journey, AI is opening up a world of possibilities. For those yet to start, AI will increasingly be built into applications as standard.
What’s becoming clear is that AI is no longer seen as just an experimental technology. It’s rapidly becoming mainstream. And it’s up to fleets to maximise the benefits of this rapidly evolving technology.
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