How connected vehicle ecosystem will benefit the entire transport industry.
Connectivity has had a drastic impact on a range of industries all around the globe, from the rise of apps and smartphones to the use of IIOT (Industrial IoT). It would appear that every industry has developed numerous products to validate the use of technology and connectivity in one way or another.
However, the same cannot be said when it comes to the transportation industry. The adaptation of connected solutions within the vehicle is slow and there is still a long way to go to extract the value from connected vehicles. Thus, the industry needs a supportive ecosystem that creates value for everyone who uses any means of transportation.
We believe connecting vehicles to the internet will drastically increase innovation around the transportation industry. The connected vehicle eco-system would allow the transport industry to move from a manual process to a modern system that utilizes technology to generate a range of benefits.
Still in various cases, ranging from renting a car to conducting diagnostics of vehicles involves a lot of manual effort and is time-consuming.
For example, renting a car requires lengthy paperwork on top of waiting in a queue followed by navigation to the location where the car is parked then the keys, paper-based checklist are handed over. Similarly, while returning the vehicle one has to complete the checkout formalities like vehicle inspections, etc.
Imagine an experience when a renter escapes the queue, processes, and everything can be done electronically by just using an app. You can unlock the car electronically and start driving! The entire process could be made simpler and seamless if the vehicle is connected over the internet and both vehicle and drivers can communicate over the internet.
The potential of connected vehicle technology would have a huge impact on the transport industry with a significant improvement in efficiency on a global scale. The connected vehicle eco-system could tap into the previously unexplored territory, improving a range of services from convenience and safety to overall performance and profitability.
Connected vehicles could be beneficial to everyday car users, as well as larger and more logistically complicated companies. For a regular car owner, the car connectivity system can be integrated with the already installed, home automation eco-system. The car owner can further benefit from roadside assistance through better location tracking. The internet-connected tracking device will also be useful to prevent car theft, as tracking systems will make it easier for stolen vehicles to be tracked down and brought back to their original owner. Additionally, more advanced diagnostics can help to boost fuel economy, reducing the pollution produced by the vehicle, as well as predict when the car maintenance/servicing is required. This will reduce the rate at which a vehicle breaks down, as well as reduce accident rates that could result in serious injuries.
Connected vehicle technologies could be of even greater use for vehicle transportation companies. Through the use of digitalized systems, companies will be able to generate a whole new revenue model, reduce the cost of the operations, improve safety for all of their vehicles, streamline vehicle maintenance processes and improve drivers’ productivity.
Gauss Moto is in partnership with a Business Financial Cloud startup, “Aasaan Cloud” (aasaan.io) that provides integrated business applications like Manufacturing ERP, Point-of-Sale, Laboratory Management (LIMS) and Fleet Management, well-integrated with a complete Accounting solution-based system. They are working together to develop a simple yet powerful connected vehicle platform that could eliminate the need for managing multiple software applications to manage daily business operations. This could also reduce the financial burden on businesses that are now paying for various Software licenses and services. Managing multiple systems could become cumbersome and complicated for the DevOps teams, thus leading to increased costs and increased feature development turnaround time. At Aasaan Cloud, data privacy is a core focus and every customer gets their unique section of the database.
As of today, most of the transportation and logistics companies use a paper and file system, which requires employees to sign off particular deliveries and monitor assets throughout the process. Such systems are inefficient due to the time they take and are also prone to human errors. Within the current market, there are many aftermarket devices available that can be utilized to better track and monitor assets. These devices can be easily installed and integrated into an FMS tracking system — a system that stores data both faster and more accurately than people. Such devices provide a range of benefits that simply cannot be achieved through paper systems alone. These devices provide geolocation throughout the journey of a vehicle, which allows for more efficient tracking of fleets and can be used to determine both arrival times and inform any delays that may occur.
Gauss Moto has developed a platform “Telemoto” that can give a deep insight on location and vehicle sensor data to better understand the overall operation efficiency. The platform not only tracks vehicles but also gives updates on the asset and deliveries till its last mile.
One of the most important statistics that a connected device provides is the driving pattern and behavior of the driver. From a statistical standpoint, driver behavior is single-handedly the greatest contributor to the fuel economy.
Statistics have shown that there can be as much as a 35% difference in fuel consumption between a good driving behavior versus poor driving. Excessive inappropriate gear selections, aggressive use of the accelerator or the brake pedal and keeping trucks idle for a significantly long period can cost more fuel and affect the health of the vehicle. A 5% decrease in speed can directly result in a 10% decrease in all injuries due to a crash and a 20% decrease in fatal crashes. This shows that through greater monitoring measures, we can increase both the fuel economy of vehicles as well as improve the safety of drivers and others on the road.
Most of the GPS tracking systems available in the market rely on speedometer, accelerometers and gyro data for driver behavior monitoring. Unlike others, Gauss Moto connectivity solution supports the integration of vision-based ADAS system for more accurate driving behavior analysis and as an additional safety system in the vehicle.
In North America alone, there are over 9 million people involved in the trucking industry. Digitization of the transportation process can benefit them in a range of ways. It can significantly reduce fuel consumption to a greater increase in profits. The majority of truck fleets within the transport industry operate on very small profit margins of between 1–5%, i.e. a very small profit when compared with other industries. Statistics have shown that by decreasing fuel economies by only 5% could result in profit margins increasing by a significant 30%, which is over 5 times the current industry margin. This statistical data shows that by improving the fuel economy of the fleet, a company can drastically improve both its competitiveness and rate of survival in today’s ever-competitive business climate.
Another issue according to the statistics is that the driver’s safety is a significant issue within the transportation industry. In 2017 alone, of the 37,133 fatal crashes on the roadways, 4,761 (13%) involved at least one large truck. If these statistics alone isn’t alarming, 7% of all non-fatal crashes involved at least one large truck. These statistics show that it is essential to improve the safety of drivers all across the country. In addition to this, the statistics show that all large truck and bus crashes in 2017 cost a massive $140 Billion in property and liability costs.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier, Safety Administration data revealed that:
The total number of driver inspections in by State and Feds in 2018 was 3,418,005. That includes OOS driver violations, Vehicle OOS violation, Hazmat OOS violation.
*An inspection is an examination of an individual commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and/or driver by an authorized safety inspector (fed or state).
Efficient vehicle record as well of the driver records management could prevent further costs arise as a result of poor driving, poor maintenance of the fleet or citation. Through the use of a Gauss Moto centralized cloud database, agencies, insurance companies, and fleet owners could have access to all the information that they need for improving the safety of their vehicles and drivers, thereby minimizing the chances of citations. This includes information of the drivers, vehicles records, shipment details, traffic enforcement for a better overall understanding of the operation and to avoid any violation of rules.
Gauss Moto offers a connected solution that would help improve safety, convenience, and profitability. It also delivers a better and more integrated, connected eco-system that could help companies to gain a competitive advantage as well as increase their profits across the industry. The use of our connection solution would also significantly improve driver safety, better tracking of the asset, monitor the fleets and increase profitability through better fuel economy.
With accident statistics being so high, it is not only an option but is essential that the industry makes better use for technology to improve the safety of not only drivers but every driver on the road.
Our connected solution must begin; as the time for change within the transport industry is now. If not now, will the industry have a tomorrow?
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