Ford has debuted its latest real-time telematics system at the CV Show in Birmingham.
Operated and powered by location technology specialist Telogis, the system is promised to help improve fleet efficiency, including potential fuel cost reductions of up to 20 per cent.
Ford Telematics uses real-time information streamed from each vehicle to enable fleet managers to track the vehicle’s location, fuel consumption, driver behaviour, and provide safety and maintenance alerts.
It also offers businesses direct access to vehicle diagnostic information, providing increased opportunities to control costs and improve driver safety. Vehicle operators can now plan maintenance schedules that correspond to the vehicle’s health in real time, and be warned of unplanned servicing to minimise downtime, lower potential repair costs and increase the overall productivity of a fleet.
Ford Telematics will be made available to fleet customers in May as a dealer-installed option, offered through Ford’s network of specialist Transit Centres.
According Ford’s CV aftersales manager Paul McDermott the telematics system is an innovative way to deliver reductions in cost of ownership for businesses that operate the brand’s Transit commercial vehicles.
“Real-time vehicle location and diagnostic data provides fleet customers with a powerful tool to manage their vehicles more effectively and also encourage safer driving,” McDermott says.
The telematics system’s ability to access proprietary Ford vehicle data enables operators to track details such as oil change warnings, water contamination in diesel fuel, tyre pressure, safety belt usage and airbag status.
Paul Reynolds, automotive director at Telogis, says that operators can see their field staff and the performance of each Ford vehicle, all on one screen.
“This visibility enables Ford commercial vehicle operators to provide better service for their customers and to run their businesses more productively and efficiently – it’s no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a ‘have to have’ solution,” he adds.
