How AI is redefining fleet management for a transforming industry

By Jan-Maarten de Vries, President of Fleet Management Solutions, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions?

Every new challenge represents an opportunity as well!??

If the European fleet industry was to have a mantra in 2023, it could well be this.?

On one hand, fleets are under significant pressure to meet ambitious EU emissions targets and transition to greener business models; on the other, the rewards for leading the way in green logistics – capitalising on positive consumer perception and potential regulatory advantages – are huge. And while it may take many of the headlines, it’s not all about sustainability-led change. It is also about increased efficiency.?

Driven by surging fuel prices, fleets’ operational costs have risen dramatically; so has operational complexity, mainly due to new regulatory compliance and the electric transition. On the flip side, rising demand – fuelled by the eCommerce boom – has spurred on market growth, and technological advancements are turning fleets into smarter, more efficient networks.?

As mobility enters a new age of innovation and environmental consciousness, fleets find themselves navigating a tightrope. In this tricky tightrope period for fleets, data is the balancing pole. Utilizing data in an effective way is key to finding a surer footing and staying steady – and what will turn the balancing act into a launchpad for innovation, differentiation and leadership in the evolving landscape of mobility.?

With the power of data, fleets can lower their fuel usage and carbon emissions, improve productivity, reduce costs, and enhance safety. Data can at once help fleets overcome the macro challenges they’re facing and seize the opportunities ahead of them. In fact, they already do so today! However, due to new legislations, fleet managers will soon need evolving data-driven AI technology to help in proactive decision making towards future sustainability.??

Data itself is in its own transitionary period. The rapid sophistication of AI takes its potential to another stratosphere – providing the ability to process and analyse mind-bogglingly high mountains of information and give it real-world value at scale.?

AI is firmly in our toolkit at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, working in the background of our solution Webfleet to make fleet management more effective than ever. Right now, we’re actively developing and deploying data-driven products for our fleet customers using connected vehicle data to enable them to optimise their operational efficiency while helping become more sustainable.?

‘AI is the engine of change’?

Data is driving the evolution of fleet management, turning analytics into action and inefficiency into opportunity. Amid this shift, AI is the engine of change – not just enhancing the potential of data but redefining it, enabling fleet operators to not only meet the challenges of today but also innovate for tomorrow.?

At Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, we're not just observing this transformation; we're actively shaping it. Webfleet is showing how AI and data work in tandem to deliver real-world solutions that translate into efficiency and sustainability – analysing and interrogating every action in a fleet operation, from idling to navigation.?

The integration of AI by Bridgestone Mobility Solutions has ushered in a transformative era, addressing critical aspects such as training, data utilization, application, ethics, and governance. Emphasising the human element, our commitment to training ensures that our workforce is equipped with the skills needed to harness the full potential of AI, fostering a symbiotic relationship between technology and human expertise.??

Leveraging extensive data sources, we employ AI to glean actionable insights, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of our mobility solutions. The strategic application of AI across various facets of our operations, from predictive maintenance to route optimization, propels our services to new heights of innovation and reliability. Our journey with AI underlines a commitment to responsible innovation, where the convergence of cutting-edge technology and human-centred values drives our mobility solutions into a future defined by seamless, sustainable, and ethically grounded transportation.?