About the Author
Derek Bryan is Vice President of EMEA for Verizon Connect
When we think about the next generation of fleet operations, special attention is paid to the concept of autonomous vehicles. But the timeline for the widespread adoption of truly autonomous vehicles is not predictable. Tesla founder Elon Musk said that the company's cars would be "fully autonomous" by 2017 (a fact that has yet to be adopted), but that year, one of the main proponents of autonomous vehicle technology in the industry The automaker said the cars won't happen in the next decade. "
As a result, it is more productive for future fleet managers to consider cutting edge technology that can help fleet-based operations compete, rather than replace the concept of the human driver. Today's emerging fleet technologies are, for the most part, more focused on training drivers and fleet managers to work more efficiently. Here we examine a handful of innovations already adopted by the industry, as well as future developments in operations.
Computing power
Algorithmic computer processing or machine learning, as well as advances in data storage, have opened up possibilities that seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. For example, an autonomous vehicle collects and analyzes more than a terabyte of data in real time each day. This ability to collect, analyze and process large volumes of data has generated on-demand services that allow us to watch television, stream music, order a taxi or reserve a hotel room on our mobile phone. or online almost instantly. that should be possible for both consumers and mobile workers.
With additional processing power, maintainers can query multiple data sources for larger samples or correlate different data sets to provide more detailed information. At the same time, the additional processing creates new ways to make the additional data easier to understand or even automate. This will progress further as the industry takes advantage of the ability to collect more contextually relevant data from a combination of devices such as vehicles, mobile devices, and computers. Other sensors activated by Internet.
Although the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles can take a long time, the computing power of non-autonomous vehicles is greatly increased. Vehicles can now communicate more information to managers than ever before. Engine diagnostic details such as temperature, oil or fuel level, wear parts, objects inside the vehicle such as seat belt use, number of passengers and even what was on the radio.
Management benefits
This allows for more efficient vehicle management. Managers can anticipate potential engine problems and plan for vehicle maintenance before they occur. They may also obtain other information that could improve the safety or well-being of employees and improve customer satisfaction. For example, if the engine of a vehicle is not working, the bet is safe enough, the driver may be delayed; this can be communicated automatically to clients or other workers. Or, if the vehicle's heater is on continuously, managers could provide better uniforms to help drivers stay warm and avoid getting sick, while reducing fuel consumption.
Mobile workers can soon expect a near frictionless experience, where they would no longer need to manually enter data or update a manager while performing a task, while managers would benefit. valuable information automatically to improve decision making. For example, imagine that an employee in the field installs a satellite dish for a customer. If the installation took longer than expected, contextual data collection and analysis could automatically determine it and assign your next job to another field service agent or communicate a time of day. Precise planned arrival to the next customer, all without worker intervention. or manager.
Speech recognition
The rapid adoption of speech recognition technology shows how much the software has evolved. While unreliable, voice dictation is starting to replace typing in online inquiries. Twenty percent of mobile inquiries were made by voice in 2016, while accuracy is now around 95%. Enhanced speech recognition is a powerful tool for the mobile worker, enabling hands-free data entry, task activation, and communication with managers. This means mobile workers can do their jobs more efficiently without having to worry about the task at hand. This is particularly useful in the fleet space as it helps create a better and safer work experience in the field.
Years ago, the concept of live streaming movies, television or sporting events in high definition on the Internet was not an option. But with improved connectivity and video compression technologies, we can create more visually guided communications between mobile workers and the office. Visual sensors between the office and the mobile worker can enable more efficient service by allowing remote diagnostic detection or instructions from a manager. For example, an engineer working at a site could use video to remotely consult with a person in the office to find a suitable solution, rather than having to leave the site or send another worker.
Technology will continue to improve mobility and field work. Better deployment of technology will reduce staff workload, rather than increase workload. For workers, it will make life easier, require fewer interventions, and create a near-perfect process for office reporting. For managers, technology will give greater visibility to the performance of their field agents. There is apparently no limit to the amount of data that can be collected, correlated, and analyzed to improve the operation of the organization, making it more secure, more profitable, and more enjoyable.
Derek Bryan is the Vice President EMEA for Verizon Connect.