FRA press
Media family: Professional media
Periodicity: Monthly
Audience: 74000
Media subject: Auto-Moto-Cyclo
Edition: March 2022 P.72-78
Journalists: Éric Gibory
After helping businesses reduce vehicle costs, telematics specialists are multiplying the functionalities of their tools. With results for business users, as confirmed by our cookies Autorito (page 76), Titi Floris (page 74) and the city of Quimper (page 79). Telematics tools are now interested in all areas of expertise in fleet management: eco-driving, road safety, tire control, automation of administrative documents, electrification, and even insurance.
Webfleet in the field
In the field, Webfleet Solutions is multiplying partnerships. After opening a point of sale in a First Stop Ayme agency, the telematics specialist became a partner of Project44, a specialist in advanced visibility for shippers and service providers in the transport chain.
Webfleet Solutions is connected to more than 200,000 heavy trucks in Europe. This partnership allows carriers to share their data in real time with their customers, in compliance with regulations.
Webfleet also offers a new predictive tire pressure management (TPMS) solution for trucks and buses, developed with Bridgestone. Sensors monitor tire pressure and temperature, and alert managers and drivers in real time in the event of an anomaly.
Ocean focuses on construction
A division of the Orange group, Ocean claims 150,000 vehicles and machines and more than 7,000 customers. Its solutions adapt to needs with or without geolocation.
Ocean also manages connected objects without electrical power (dumpsters, trailers, mobile sanitary facilities). In partnership with the French Building Federation (FFB), the National Federation of Public Works (FNTP), e-BTP and SMABTP, Ocean is strengthening its solution dedicated to construction and public works.
It offers systems for the remote blocking of vehicles to fight against theft, with start according to schedule or badge, control via the Ocean Mobility application, to manage flights, rental time overruns or to secure according to schedule.
Ocean also improves the productivity of construction sites and maintenance management.
Ocean in Spain
Through the Haléco group, Ocean markets its solutions under the Flotefi brand. Orange has also signed an agreement with AlerteGasoil to combat fuel theft. A gauge and a box alert in the event of a sudden drop in fuel level, even with the engine off, saving up to 30% of fuel.
TELEMATICS TO REDUCE COSTS
While telematics can bring benefits to its users, it also comes at a cost.
“The solution costs 10 to 15 euros per month and per vehicle. A cost that is far from being negligible even if with a single stolen vehicle recovered, we make the investment profitable,” summarizes Jérémy Carini, president of the SUV rental company Autocito, at the head of 300 vehicles equipped with telematics (see the testimony on page 76).
For the city of Quimper, telematics costs 27,000 euros per year for 25 vehicles. “Thanks to the tool's data, we were able to decide to eliminate two heavy trucks, i.e. costs of 96,000 to 120,000 euros per unit, plus operating costs. So we have already made the investment profitable. And maybe we're going to remove three or four VULs and several VPs. I will not go back”, explains Michel Goarin, responsible for the city's car fleet (see the testimony on page 79).
Titi Floris has equipped 400 of its 2,000 vehicles with telematics. “This tool is a source of economic gains,” says François-Xavier Dugué, vehicle fleet management manager. “We buy vehicles with the boxes installed from the original equipment: their cost is thus already amortized when the vehicle is purchased and taken into account in negotiations.”
This passenger transport specialist activates the boxes on demand. “An important option because we do not want to deploy telematics throughout the fleet. We achieve 40 million in turnover for a result of 400,000 euros. If we activated all the vehicles with a monthly unit cost of 5 to 8 euros per month, we would cut our margin too much. It is good to be able to feed back information but you have to be able to use it to get all the benefits. We work on it in batches of vehicles. We carry out an analysis over three months and after that, we switch to another group of vehicles,” explains François-Xavier Dugué (see the testimony on page 74).
Testimonial: François-Xavier Dugué, Titi Floris
The Titi Floris cooperative group has equipped 400 of its 2,000 vehicles with a telematic tool, improving the management of its fleet. “We equipped ourselves with telematics in 2019. This technology brings flexibility to the fleet manager. The Kuantic solution reports data from the manufacturer's integrated boxes. Today, more than 400 vehicles are equipped, 180 of which are active. Eventually, half of the park will have it. The only limit: not all manufacturers allow the feedback of information. We mainly use real-time mileage reports, which help to make maintenance decisions, follow traffic laws, optimize and control routes, and verify the compliance of trips. Monitoring also allows our employees to return home with their vehicle, improving comfort and efficiency, without authorized private use. We have not yet exploited other functions such as eco-driving, but we intend to strengthen telematics. The evolution of manufacturers and contractors is also pushing us towards electrification.”
The Titi Floris fleet in figures
- 2,000 sedans, multispaces and minibuses (VP 5 to 9 seats), including 300 units adapted to PMR (transport persons with reduced mobility)
- Brands represented: Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Opel, Renault, Ford, Nissan
Testimonial Jérémy Carini, President, Autocito
Telematics is essential in business management
As a commercial vehicle (LCV) rental company for young companies that are often in difficulty to finance their vehicles, Aucitito relies on telematics to track its 300 vehicles driven by 200 customers.
“I started to be interested in telematics in 2017. I wanted to know how our fleet worked and where the vehicles were located. We use telematics to find out how vehicles are used and adapt the contracts and solutions offered accordingly.
A slippery driving rule can become a real time bomb. Too many kilometers, the vehicle will not be amortized. The problem also arises if the vehicle stops driving. Telematics has become indispensable in business management.
We worked with a first provider but we experienced malfunctions. We changed because we wanted to rely on a reliable and recognized provider. This is the reason why we called on Coyote, which, in addition, offers us additional services and has a website that is simple and pleasant to use.
With the range of solutions in the catalog, we are in a position to offer tools to our customers to help them in their business. We are testing driver assistance features internally and we are going to distribute them to our customers. These tools reduce the number of accidents and therefore reduce the cost of insurance. They also help avoid speed cameras to preserve driver's licenses.
With driver assistance systems, we do not want to make a profit but to offer a complementary service to our customers. But above all, geolocation contributes to the fight against theft. The boxes are installed prior to delivery.
We are considering installing a second tracker because we have not been able to recover stolen vehicles whose original device had been snatched. In any case, the ability to recover stolen vehicles reassures our customers and is an advantage over the competition.”
The Aucitito fleet in figures
- 300 vehicles.
KUANTIC AUTOMATES ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS
From its headquarters in Nice Sophia-Antipolis, Kuantic also operates internationally, in Italy, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom and Benelux, through local distributors. According to the telematics specialist, his platform has seen more than 400,000 vehicles pass through.
From now on, Kuantic is extending its geographical presence to Dutch territory. To establish itself on this market, the telematics specialist has developed a specific module: a tax report that appears in its digital platform. This report is automatically edited per vehicle and per driver.
The driver can then easily submit it to the administration along with his tax return. In addition to saving considerable time for all parties, this feature would avoid the need for a service log and the re-entry and processing of data previously recorded by hand each time the driver got behind the wheel.
Now, as soon as the ignition is switched on, the distance traveled is recorded and the driver simply reports a personal trip with a “privacy” button.
The tmobility solution
In addition, the Kuantic R&D center worked with that of TruckSME, a start-up specialized in the digitization of vehicle rental processes, to develop a 100% digital vehicle rental service.
TruckSME's tmobility solution includes a white label mobile application that allows the end customer to carry out a short-term rental entirely online, with a reservation site, a back office for managing the rental activity and a fleet management application.
This application is associated with a Kuantic telematics unit to manage the opening, closing and immobilizing functions, report vehicle technical data and integrate them into the tmobility platform.
OPTIMUM AUTOMOTIVE IN ELECTRIC MODE
Present on the market for fifteen years, Optimum Automotive announces 100,000 equipped vehicles for 4,500 companies.
While the legal and regulatory environment encourages companies to green their fleets, Optimum Automotive wants to support them in this transition.
For example, attributing an electric vehicle to a salesperson or technician traveling several hundred kilometers a day would be heresy. In this logic, attributing a plug-in hybrid to a driver who travels exclusively on motorways does not make sense either.
The analysis of uses over a significant period of time therefore appears to be an essential step in order to avoid risky or counterproductive choices.
To help businesses, Optimum Automotive has developed a decision support tool that is based on the analysis of the movements of each vehicle over three months using the telematics box. Different analyses are provided to decision makers. The potential savings according to uses are indicated.
TELEMATICS DRIVEN BY THE CRISIS
More and more fleets are using telematics, and the Covid-19 crisis has reinforced the trend.
To understand the evolution of practices during the health crisis, the telematics specialist Webfleet Solutions interviewed 1,050 decision-makers across Europe. The study covers the period from the outbreak of the pandemic in Europe to August 2021, when the survey was conducted.
First lesson, 74% of commercial vehicle fleets have adopted more digital solutions since the start of the health crisis and almost all (97%) believe that these technologies have helped them cope with the pandemic.
For 59% of businesses surveyed, the pandemic has had an impact on fuel costs.
For 57% of fleets, the number of customers increased with an effect on driver stress.
For 82% of decision makers, digitizing fleet management improves customer satisfaction.
Another benefit: increased driver well-being (74%) and the reduction of fleet operational costs (68%).
Fleets are equipping themselves to increase efficiency (51%), driver safety by limiting physical contact (48%) and compliance with safety standards (41%).
Among the 26% of fleets that have not adopted new digital solutions, cost remains a barrier for 30% of them.
DATA, A BATTLEFIELD
In the automotive sector, the battle for data control is under way.
Manufacturers, repair networks, insurers and service providers are moving forward, either to ensure the exclusivity of their operation, or to obtain open connectivity.
The positions of the various stakeholders were particularly expressed during the adoption in February by the European Commission of a draft law written to facilitate access to and use of data.
The Connected Mobility for All Alliance brings together players in the automotive industry's downstream sector: Automobile Club Association, National Council of Automotive Professions (CNPA) & Mobivia, National Alliance of Automotive Experts (ANEA), France Insurers (ex French Insurance Federation, FFA), France Assurers (ex French Insurance Federation, FFA): Automobile Club Association, SESAMLLD, French Electricity Union (UFE) and National Union of Assistance Companies (SNSA).
Signed by all these actors last September, a document calls for equitable access to all data for all stakeholders.
This alliance also wants to preserve technological neutrality: all actors must obtain access under identical technical and economic conditions.
On the same issue, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the Automobile Club Association warn against strengthening the control of data flows by manufacturers.
“For independent service providers and for consumers, this hegemony could cause losses of 65 billion euros per year by 2030”, say the two entities.
“It is urgent to put in place a solid legal framework for equitable access based on the informed consent of consumers, their freedom of choice and the protection of their vehicle data”, argues Didier Bollecker, president of the Automobile Club Association.
Legislation specific to the automotive industry is essential
Faced with the rise of connected vehicles, a legislation specific to the automotive industry becomes urgent. The number of connected vehicles is constantly increasing and the current framework of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) does not comprehensively cover all the particularities related to this sector. It is therefore necessary to develop appropriate rules to regulate the access, sharing and exploitation of data generated by these vehicles, while guaranteeing consumer protection and equity between market players.
Optimum Automotive: supporting the energy transition of fleets
Present on the market for 15 years, Optimum Automotive currently equips more than 100,000 vehicles for 4,500 companies. With the environmental and regulatory constraints that push fleets to green, the company offers an innovative decision support solution.
Thanks to telematics, Optimum Automotive analyzes the real movements of vehicles over a period of three months via connected boxes. This detailed analysis makes it possible to measure potential savings in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and total cost of ownership (TCO). Fleet managers receive personalized reports:
- Fleet Electric Report : evaluates the optimal number of vehicles to be converted to electric according to usual use.
- Electric Vehicle Alternative : recommends the hybrid or electric models best suited to the profile of each driver.
In addition, Optimum Automotive has launched a support service called Optimum Consulting, which offers an audit of connected data and an optimized daily management of the fleet, based on this data.
Fleet monitoring: 20 years of innovation and expansion
Fleet tracking, a French specialist in remote fleet management, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with 50,000 managed vehicles. Based in Tours and mainly active in Western France, the company is strengthening its commercial and technical network to be as close as possible to customer needs.
Twelve new sales consultants have recently been recruited, spread over several major French cities such as Lille, Toulouse, Lyon, Montpellier and Bordeaux. These reinforcements aim to improve customer service and to support users in using the platform.
Technologically, SuivideFlotte innovates regularly with three updates per year of its software. Since 2018, more than 250 new features have been integrated, including 75 in 2021 alone. Among the new features, a TCO analysis module has been added, allowing managers to make detailed comparisons on all fleet-related costs, displayed via clear graphs.
Customers are also actively involved in improving the software by offering their ideas: out of 300 suggestions received, 20% were retained and developed.
WeNow: telematics connected directly to manufacturers
Specialist in eco-mobility, WeNow is evolving towards a telematics solution connected directly to car manufacturer data. After a year of research and development, the thermal and electric vehicles of the PSA group are now compatible. From 2022, Renault vehicles will also be integrated, thus covering around 80% of the French market.
This direct connection offers faster deployment and simplified logistics for fleet managers. In addition, WeNow is enriching its offer with new tools that motivate drivers, such as:
- Smartphone notifications to encourage eco-driving and safety.
- Challenges around road safety aimed at improving driving scores and reducing speeding.
- Specific coaching for electric vehicles.
- Personalized audits to help managers prioritize the electrification of their fleet, by offering recommendations adapted to each driver and vehicle.
Finally, monthly reports make it possible to analyze risky behaviors such as sudden braking or excessive speed.
Zego: telematics insurance at the service of fleets
Created by former Deliveroo executives, Zego became a unicorn in 2021 thanks to its innovative insurance model, based on telematics. Its solution is aimed at professional fleets and is based on a fully automated portal that uses behavioral data collected via telematics.
The expected benefits are multiple:
- Reduction in claims reports by up to 10%.
- Possible reduction in insurance premiums of 20%.
- 40% reduction in time spent on administrative tasks.
- Optimization of routes and reduction of downtime.
- Reduced costs related to fuel, maintenance, vehicle wear and tear, and traffic jams.
- Insurance payment only when the vehicle is in use.
Zego equips small fleets as well as international fleets, working with companies such as Amazon, Uber or Deliveroo.
According to Sten Saar, president of Zego, telematics coupled with financial incentives is a powerful lever for improving fleet safety while controlling costs.
Prospects of the embedded telematics market in Europe
According to the report Berg Insight, the equipment of professional vehicles with embedded telematics in Europe is experiencing an average annual growth of 14.4% and is expected to reach 22.5 million vehicles equipped in 2025, compared to 11.5 million at the end of 2020.
The main players in the market are:
- Webfleet Solutions : leader with 726,000 vehicles equipped at the end of 2020.
- Verizon Connect : 434,000 units.
- Targa Telematics : 415,000 vehicles.
- Abax and Scania : 340,000 and 316,000 vehicles respectively.
- Other actors like Calamp, Bornemann, AddSecure Smart Transport, Masternaut and Gurtam are also in the top 10, with fleets of between 210,000 and 300,000 vehicles each.
The market is in full consolidation, with eight mergers or takeovers in 2021 and other transactions expected in 2022.
Conclusion
Telematics continues to transform professional fleet management, offering advanced tools to optimize costs, safety, regulatory compliance, and energy transition. The development of appropriate legislation and the rise of solutions connected directly to manufacturers are strengthening this movement. In addition, the integration of telematics in the insurance field opens up new opportunities to reduce risks and improve the profitability of fleets.
