What does the future hold?

A lineup of white vans with only 1 being grey parked in a row.

16/01/2018

As we drive into 2018, we’re taking a look at the top upcoming trends for the following year and beyond.

Autonomous Driving

10 million self-driving vehicles are predicted to be on our roads by 2020. But while 2018 might not be the year we see our roads full of driverless vehicles, it may be the year we see plenty of companies get behind the technology.

Autonomous vehicles bring many benefits. Like more time for employees to focus on other tasks, increased safety with less human error and reduced costs. Semi-autonomous technology like adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems have already made a big mark on the fleet industry, so it will be interesting to see what kind of mark the advanced technology will make – even when it does have a long road ahead.

Better Technology

From automatic braking, lane departure warning systems to video monitoring systems – newer vehicles are starting to come with even more advanced driver assistance technologies.

More advanced predictive fleet tracking and telematics systems are also becoming more prevalent – giving fleet managers access to not only their fuel usage but also the diagnostics of each individual vehicle. This gives the ability to pre-emptively detect maintenance problems before a breakdown.

We could also see wearable technology being utilised more. These smart gadgets could be utilised to increase fleet safety by keeping an eye on how much rest a driver has had before they head out on the road.

The need for better fuel management

As fuel costs have started rising again, there is a need for better fuel management. Fortunately, the fuelGenie fuel cards will help you keep control on costs – not only because you can get the best prices at Supermarket pumps like Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Tesco. But what else can you do?

Firstly you can make sure your fleet is using the right size vehicles. Can a driver do the same job in a more compact and efficient car? Would your fleet operate better if it was smaller or larger?

You can also look at a driver reward scheme to reward those who are most efficient with their fuel – and also make sure employees are accountable for the fuel they use. Are they leaving the engine running while on a delivery? Braking or accelerating too hard? Using the correct routes?

What do you think will be a trend for 2018? Join the conversation on our Twitter and LinkedIn pages.

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