By Valerio Gridelli, CEO Viasat S.p.A.
In the last few years, the wave of the “4.0 road transport industry” is breaking on the operating model of those companies dealing with freight and logistics in an increasingly competitive, but also safer, legal and sustainable global market. In such a scenario, Viasat has been at the forefront in the use of info telematics, essential fleet management and cost-optimization technology, since the 80s. This has lead the Group to be perceived by the Operators as a reliable, experienced partner who is able to propose tailor made solutions to National and International companies dealing with third parties road haulage (professional transport) and self-employed. With the help of its Webconsole, Viasat Fleet allows trucking companies to track, locate and monitor fleet vehicles and goods at any time and through any web device, offering protection against specialised burglars. The remote control allows not only to identify a truck’s position wherever it is, but also covered kilometres, fuel consumed, time left before goods must be delivered, which route is preferable according to road conditions, weather conditions. This allows a better flows mission and organisation, thus reducing traffic congestion on equal terms of transported goods – 25% of heavy transport vehicles in Italy make unladen journeys, 20% in Europe- and, as a consequence, vehicles wear, journey times and accidents. As well as pollution and consequent diseases. The new frontier of today’s, as for the automotive sector, is to ensure increased safety through driving behaviour monitoring devices. Viasat has not been found unprepared. Tachographs allows the fleet manager to check in real time whether the driver is respecting maximum driving hours and breaks, in compliance with current regulations. Viasat Group offers a 24/7 monitoring and automatic alerts management service and a prompt intervention in case of dangerous driving behaviours or excess of consecutive driving hours, preventing those situations – such as a drivers falling asleep when driving – that could have a strong impact on the safety of other road users. Viasat Fleet Solutions’ proposal represents a timely and concrete response to road transport and intermodality’s main needs, combining hi-tech solutions and telematic assistance services to ensure to people, vehicles and goods the highest security and cost-saving standards.