By Raúl González Rodrigo, Head of BU Fleet VIASAT GROUP
Fleet Management is an extremely virtuous organizational approach that allows freight companies to adopt an automatic and intelligent management of their vehicles. This way, fleet managers may monitor a variety of useful information to optimize and enhance the efficiency of their fleet. According to Berg Insight, fleet management solutions consist of vehicle management systems to collect main data, detect the GPS position and communicate this set of information to a back office application. An essential information dashboard for Fleet Managers providing accurate truck position data, run kilometers, fuel consumption, pollution statistics, estimated delivery time and day-in-transit –meaning to know in advance when they could be available for new transport missions- routing optimization, adverse weather conditions, where to find goods in the event of robberies, compliance with break requirements, local speed limits and much more. Just with a simple click on your computer. New commercial vehicles and next generation trucks are equipped with sophisticated technological devices and native connectivity. Industry experts expect a remarkable evolution over the next decade to make the vehicles even more efficient, increasing the productivity and safety of freight transport business. Again, according to Berg Insight, the European Fleet Management market’s developement will continue in the coming years. It is estimated that the number of active systems in use will grow at an annual rate of 15.2%: from 7.7 million units at the end of 2017 to 15.6 million by 2022. The penetration rate in the light commercial vehicles market will, according to estimates, increase 15% in 2017 to 28.8% in 2022. A technologically advanced and interconnected fleet will, therefore, be easily integrated into an efficient and clear transport organization. In daily practice, collected data will be used -as it happens for other connected vehicles- for transport companies to optimize their activities and maximize the growth of their business, as well as for lower environmental impact and emissions. Viasat has always been focused on technological evolution as a part of our entrepreneurial DNA. Today, we are one of the leading operators in Italy and Europe. Our offer covers the entire service chain: technological solutions and satellite location services, security and protection dedicated to fleet managers and transport and logistics companies, building and urban hygiene services as well as public companies and administrations. The development of innovative products, services and technologies is considered a key factor of success and growth in the Group’s policy. Viasat’s fleet proposal was born as a punctual and reliable response to the main needs of the world of road transport and logistics. The integration of hi-tech solutions and telematic assistance services guarantees the highest levels of safety to people, vehicles and fleets. We are a reference point in the European market, thanks to our ability to oversee the entire value chain and supervise, directly or through our partners and resellers network, 69 countries in the world with over 770 employees (as of 31 December 2018). It is no coincidence that Viasat is harmonizing its offer on a pan- European level, concentrating its strategy on technological solutions that can make fleet management, transport activities and drivers more efficient and innovative, with the help of mobile applications for workforce management , connecting vehicles to corporate IT systems.