Webfleet with Study on the Use of AI in Fleet Management

When asked about their current and future usage habits of artificial intelligence (AI), the majority (58%) of fleet managers responded that they expect to implement AI in the next five years. This is one of the findings of a new global study conducted on the occasion of Webfleet’s 25th anniversary, one of the world’s leading providers of fleet management solutions and part of Bridgestone.

(Amsterdam/Zurich) A total of 1,800 fleet managers from 15 countries were surveyed to shed light on the environment of fleet digitalization, with fleet managers or business owners with at least seven vehicles defined as fleet decision-makers. The results show that fleets plan to increase their investments in digital fleet solutions in the future and indicate a significant planned adoption of AI and EV technologies.

“The global trend towards digital solutions, including AI, shows where the future of fleet management is headed,” said Jan-Maarten de Vries, President Fleet Management Solutions at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. “Our study confirms that digital fleet solutions play a crucial role in enhancing fleet efficiency, controlling costs, and improving driver and vehicle safety. Investments in these technologies are certainly paying off and will continue to rise.”

Large Majority of Fleet Managers Want to Invest More in Digitalization

• 91% of fleet managers plan to increase their investments in digital fleet solutions in the next five years.
• More than half of the fleet managers (52%) cited efficiency improvements and lower operating costs as compelling reasons for investing in digital solutions.
• 49% of fleet managers mentioned improving driver and vehicle safety as one of the reasons for investing in fleet management technologies.

Greatest Impact on Fleet Management from AI and Electric Vehicles

AI, machine learning, and electric vehicles are identified as the most important factors for the future of fleet management.

• 32% of the surveyed fleet managers stated that AI and machine learning will have the greatest impact on fleet management in the coming years, while 30% mentioned electric vehicles in this context.
• 23% of fleet managers are already using AI today, and 35% plan to do so in the next five years. Almost all respondents confirm that AI will have a significant impact on fleet management in the future. 62% of respondents expect AI to optimize route planning and logistics, 56% believe it will improve driver safety, and 55% think it will enhance predictive maintenance and asset management.
• Only 21% of fleet managers expressed concern about how AI will change their daily work, with the greatest concerns relating to process integration (53%) as well as data privacy and security (49%).

Fleet managers confirm that electric vehicles are the future for commercial fleets and that the use of electric vehicles will increase in the coming years:

• 85% of fleet managers expect the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in their fleet to change in the next five years.
• Among those who say their vehicle mix will change, the share of electric and hybrid vehicles is expected to nearly double – from currently 37% to 63% of the fleet by 2029.

Jan-Maarten de Vries summarizes: “Artificial intelligence and electric vehicles are transformative technologies that will shape fleet management today and in the future. We are leveraging these advancements to help fleets become safer, more sustainable, more productive, and more efficient.”

Photo: © Webfleet