[photo courtesy of Mobilisights]
By Fleet Management Weekly Staff
September 25, 2024
Data is the most significant source of untapped potential for modern fleets. Telematics systems collect data on every aspect of a vehicle’s lifecycle, holding countless untold insights for fleet managers if they’re willing to act upon them. But deciphering this data is easier said than done.
A fleet might get data from multiple sources working on separate systems. To yield actionable results from this trove of disparate data, fleet managers need a unified platform to translate the data into actual savings.
This is where data as a service (DaaS) comes in. DaaS businesses exist to leverage the insights gathered from vehicle data so they can create innovative applications and services to help their users.
These services are especially beneficial to fleet managers juggling many different vehicles, many of which are increasingly electric. With a DaaS business by their side, fleets can use all this raw data to find savings opportunities and lower their overall operating costs.
One DaaS business making waves in the fleet industry is Mobilisights, an offshoot of Stellantis that first launched in January 2023. Stellantis created Mobilisights to harness the data collected from over 14 million connected vehicles worldwide, a number that they’re looking to increase to 34 million by 2030.
Mobilisights represents the exclusive licensing partner for Stellantis’ 14 vehicle brands, including Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and others in Europe and North America.
photo: Mobilisights
“Upon user consent, we extract connected vehicle data from those vehicles,” says Eddie Nath, Head of North America Sales, and Vice President for Mobilisights. “We bring them into a single platform, harmonize them, fledge it, and make the data as a subscription feature available to our customers, which include large fleets, fleet management companies, telematics service providers, rental car companies, the government, and so on.”
How the Data Helps Fleets
In the year since it first launched, Mobilisights has developed five significant data packages for its various clients. Whether it’s working with insurance companies to develop customized insurance offers or with EV partners to manage the charging of electric vehicles more efficiently, Mobilisights has a variety of data solutions at its disposal. For fleets, however, these data solutions can transform the way fleets operate.
“Data is everything,” says Nath. “Data is the new fuel, especially with electrification happening. It’s used to reduce the total cost of ownership for fleet owners, which is made up of everything from the day the vehicle is acquired to when the vehicle is remarketed or sold in the secondary market.”
Data follows the fleet vehicle throughout its lifetime. At every stage of the vehicle’s life cycle, data holds tremendous value to fleet owners looking to minimize ownership costs. If wielded correctly, data can help improve fleet productivity, vehicle utilization, gas mileage, and even driver safety. When it comes time to remarket, data can inform fleet managers of the marketability of vehicles based on driving conditions, status, vehicle health, and more.
“Remarketing is becoming even more important now that we’re looking at electric vehicles,” says Nath. “Battery health is the key driver for the price of the vehicle, and we know the battery health of our vehicles better than anybody else.”
Mobilisights’ data is used by more than just fleets–insurance companies, energy companies, and even governments leverage data provided by the company’s vehicles. For example, many states are unveiling a new road usage charge, an alternative to the gas tax, where governments charge vehicles based on how much they drive instead of how much gas they use. Designed to get around the fact that electric vehicles don’t use gas, this new initiative is one of many features that enrich Mobilisights’ data.
“Stellantis has always been a big proponent of driver safety, which is why we offer a package called Safety for Life,” says Nath. “The package is offered in partnership with the HUS alerting system, whereby all vehicles are alerted if a first responder, firetruck, or ambulance approaches the vehicle. So, there are use cases where our fleet data is used.”
Why Use Embedded Data?
Mobilisights uses embedded data, allowing fleets to access and analyze data all within the same application. This comes with several benefits, including:
- Operational Efficiency. Fleet owners can save time and money spent installing aftermarket devices.
- Ease of Use. With Mobilisights’ embedded data, fleet managers can instantly skip installation delays and activate.
- Quality Assurance. Not all data is equally reliable. Mobilisights uses authentic OEM data from automotive-grade embedded systems, delivering a steady stream of accurate information from the vehicle to the cloud.
- Frequency and Latency. Mobilisights’ data is constantly refreshed, delivering near-real-time insights to keep fleet owners updated without latency.
- Data Security. Fleets can rest easy knowing their data is in safe hands with Mobilisights’ secure, end-to-end data stream.
This data can do wonders to help fleet managers. Not only does it lower the overall cost of ownership, but it can help them track and manage various vehicles no matter where they are. With Mobilisights, fleet managers get solutions such as:
- Data Insights. Total data transparency can help fleet managers find areas for potential savings and cost-cutting.
- Fuel & Charging. Mobilisights’ data can help fleets manage fuel costs, monitor the charging status of EVs, and even handle charge reimbursements for their drivers.
- Vehicle Status. Mobilisights offers specific data points and signals for each vehicle, allowing managers to know how they’re functioning at all times.
- Vehicle Location. Fleet owners will never lose sight of a vehicle with the tracking function.
- Remote Commands. Fleet managers can perform remote commands from afar, unlocking vehicles in the case of lost keys.
A Free Trial for Fleet Owners
Mobilisights recently announced a free trial designed to help fleet owners experience the benefits of the company’s data firsthand. All model year ‘24 and year ‘25 fleet vehicles will be eligible for a three-month trial, offering Mobilisight’s core data package at no charge. The data can be consumed within the fleet’s backend systems or routed to a telematics service provider (TSP) or analytics provider of their choice.
“This will give them a flavor for the value of the OEM’s embedded data offering,” says Nath. “The fleet owners can then use this data to manage their fleet on a day-to-day basis, whether it’s utilization, fuel consumption, driver behavior, driver safety, roadside assistance, and any other features imperative for good fleet management in today’s work.”
Entering the EV Space
As fleets electrify, Mobilisights is creating new packages specifically for managing EVs. These data packages are tailored to fleets that are acquiring EVs, including some of the country’s largest fleets.
“The electrification of fleets will lead to a different set of use cases,” says Nath. “For example, when and where will the vehicle be charged? Is the vehicle going to be charged at the driver’s home or at a certain depot, affecting the vehicle’s routing?
We are looking to help these fleet owners with the range and availability of charge and charging infrastructure requirements. We’re also looking at getting the fleets reimbursed for electric charging by working with some application providers with contracts with utilities across the country.”
While data is quickly becoming the new currency in the fleet industry, companies like Mobilisight will become even more integral to fleet management. As a critical component of Stellantis’ “Dare Forward” 2030 strategic plan, Mobilisights delivers fleets with one of the most valuable tools to wield the data at their fingertips.
