FleetManagementWeekly
February 12, 2019

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Editor's Analysis & Top Industry News


Future Promises, Future Threats

I confess that I wasn’t up to speed on edge computing, but that was before I read John Wysseier’s fascinating article Edge Computing: The Next Step in the Evolution of Digital Computing. Edge computing will be critical to the transition to fully self-driving cars and trucks.

FMW editor Andrew Boada writes about a sinister threat that is on track to worsen: automotive cyber attacks. He notes that Internet and mobile phone systems are being used to launch attacks from as far away as another country! Think of what this could mean to fleets.

Information like this makes it even more compelling that we keep abreast of emerging trends in our industry. And there is no better place to do that than at NAFA’s upcoming Institute & Expo.

Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief


Thought Leadership

Customer Driven — Engage your organization to create customer loyalty, trust, and superior service

Disruptive Leadership — Master the principles of disruptive leadership

Fleet Asset Management – Best practices for work truck management

Fleet Marketing – Guiding principles for fleet providers to improve marketing and increase sales

Fleet Spectator A 360 view of the fleet industry

Globally Speaking — Perspectives on the multinational fleet

In the Public Interest — Successfully managing the government fleet

Managing the Reimbursed Fleet — Expert strategies to manage mobile employees

On Fleet Driver Management Solutions to improve your fleet’s accident rate and cut costs on collision repairs

Safety & Risk — Impactful driver safety and risk management tools and techniques

Talent Management — Smart guidelines to help you manage the talent in your workplace

 


VIDEO: A Multitude of Ways to Train Drivers Not to Put Themselves at Risk

Driving Dynamics has long been known for its behind-the-wheel driver safety training, but they also provide a full range of online training programs that effectively teach drivers not to put themselves at risk.

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VIDEO: Women in Fleet Management


 Getting to the Next Level in Your Fleet Career
 

Here’s some great advice on how to get to the next level in your fleet career (and don’t forget to always look for the silver lining).


VIDEO: Motor Pools Today

 Using Fewer Vehicles to Do the Same Job
 

INVERS Mobility Solutions focuses on people, not assets – with the final result being that you can use fewer vehicles to do the same job.





The Fleet Spot



TÜV SÜD and VW Financial Services Become Joint Owners of Fleet Logistics

Fleet Logistics has a new majority shareholder following the announcement that Volkswagen Financial Services has acquired a 60% share in the Oberhaching, Germany-based business.

The new deal, for an undisclosed amount and subject to regulatory approval, will create a brand-neutral international platform combining travel and fleet management. In the day-to-day business, customers will see no changes and it will be very much business as usual.

The highly successful business model of multi-bidding will continue to be a central pillar of Fleet Logistics’ business strategy, and the company will continue to make the best possible vehicle offerings in terms of price, security and sustainability available to customers. This will be backed by future access to a new portfolio of intermodal mobility solutions.

READ MORE

‘Global Fleet Champions’ Launched to Prevent Crashes and Pollution

Fleet operators around the world are being asked to join a new global campaign to help tackle the rising epidemic of road deaths, injuries and poisonous air from vehicles.

Launched this week by Brake, the road safety charity, Global Fleet Champions is a not-for-profit and partnership campaign that everyone can join to prevent crashes and pollution caused by vehicles used for work purposes.

Global Fleet Champions is free to join and calls on all organizations that use vehicles for work purposes to prioritize safety and sustainability, through good leadership and by adopting robust policies and procedures to manage driver behavior, vehicle standards and journey routing. The campaign also calls on governments to regulate and enforce the safe, sustainable operation of vehicles that move goods and people, through licensing and traffic rules, road policing and tougher penalties.

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Futurist Chris Riddell Brings Revealing Keynote Presentation to NAFA’s I&E in April

NAFA Fleet Management Association announces the inclusion of keynote presenter Chris Riddell for its annual conference, the redesigned and enhanced Institute & Expo (I&E), which takes place April 15-17, in Louisville, Ky.

An award-winning global futurist and keynote speaker on the future of humanity and digital, Riddell is also a renowned media commentator and global emerging trend spotter for businesses and leaders in today’s highly disrupted world.

A global trailblazer, Chris Riddell has worked for some of the largest and most successful companies and brands in our modern world. Having lived and worked in countries including the U.K., Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Kuwait, China, New Zealand, and Australia, his understanding of our new world is compelling and thought provoking to say the least.

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Free ebook: When the Telematics Honeymoon is Over

Telematics can deliver immediate benefits to your fleet, but those benefits won’t be sustained if there are gaps in your fleet safety program.

Does this sound familiar? Your organization adopted telematics and you saw an immediate drop in your drivers’ at-risk behavior, but now the honeymoon period is over you’re seeing the collision rate inch back upward. This is probably due to gaps in your fleet safety program.

Download eDriving’s free “When the Telematics Honeymoon is Over” ebook to learn how to identify, prioritize and address those gaps to give your organization the best chance of sustaining risk reductions over time.

Disruptive Leadership


By John F. Wysseier, President and CEO, The CEI Group, Inc.

Pardon the pun, but companies in many different industries that want to get an edge on their competitors — or avoid being left behind by them — need to embrace the next step in the evolution of digital technology: edge computing. So, what is edge computing?

To put it simply, edge computing refers to digital data processing that is done in the same place or very near to where the data is collected. It gets its name from the fact that an “edge” computer is located at a great distance from a central computer (or the cloud) and handles data only for one or a limited number of devices or systems generating that data. This is in contrast to a centralized computer that collects and processes data from many sources, all of which are connected to the system by two-way wireless connections in a hub-and-spoke array.

To understand this difference, think of a typical telematics system. Sensors on a vehicle transmit data to a central computer, where it’s processed for information that is transmitted back to the vehicle. In this arrangement, the vehicle is somewhat like our earlier “dumb” desk top terminals from the ‘60s and ‘70s, which had no computing power of their own but enabled users to tap into one central, shared computer.

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Fleet Spectator


By Andrew Boada, Editor at Large

The number of reported incidents on cyber attacks on the global automotive transportation system grew by some 50 percent last year, according to a report issued last month by Upstream Security, provider of automotive cloud cybersecurity solutions based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Upstream noted while there were just 60 reported cyber attacks last year, many go unreported. It also said and that a single attack can affect thousands of vehicles, companies and consumers and cost more than $1billion. The report predicts that the number will continue to grow very rapidly over the next three years, as criminal hackers become more familiar with connected systems and the means by which to hack become easier and cheaper to obtain.

The report said the most dangerous attacks are those that take over vehicles’ control systems. “While some introduce low physical risk, such as the unlock system, mainly responsible for theft or damage to the vehicle, others can have a real and devastating impact on human lives,” the company warned. Think about such features as the brakes, airbags or acceleration of the vehicle. An attack timed to cause the most damage, for example, while the car is in motion, could be catastrophic, and in certain cases has even been shown to be fatal.”

READ MORE

 

Fleet Career Growth


NAFA’s CAFM U offers fleet managers unmatched value, as well as a unique, inclusive opportunity to learn and advance their careers.

For fleet professionals seeking to earn the industry’s top designations of excellence, the Certified Automotive Fleet Specialist (CAFS) and Certified Automotive Fleet Manager (CAFM) certifications, NAFA Fleet Management Association has developed a concept to help compress the process of obtaining these marks – while also having full access to NAFA’s vast Institute & Expo fleet event.

NAFA’s CAFM U, a fleet-focused “university-style” style event, will be held April 13 through 18, 2019, in conjunction with NAFA’s Institute & Expo, in Louisville, Ky. This concentrated opportunity lets attendees learn and take certification exams – twice – to increase chances to either start or complete the process toward earning CAFM or CAFS.

READ MORE









Fleet Trends & Issues


10 New Cars Best at Retaining Their Value One Year After Purchase

MSN

Depreciation can be a blessing for used car shoppers and a nightmare for new car buyers.

Some cars can lose as much as half of their value in just three years, but other cars depreciate so slowly that it arguably makes more sense to buy them new rather than used.

The overall average one-year depreciation rate across the auto industry is 26.8 percent, but a study by car research site iSeeCars discovered the top 10 slowest-depreciating cars with a less than 15 percent loss of value in one year. The top vehicle is the Honda HR-V with a depreciation rate of 10.5 percent, about $2260.

Read the article at MSN.

The 2020 Ford F-Series Promises Great Power and Great Capacity

Car and Driver

Ford has released the first details on the 2020 models of its heavy-duty pickup trucks, and is promising that they will have the most powerful engines and the highest payload and tow ratings in the F-series Super Duty history.

At the Chicago auto show later this week, it is expected that Ford will release details of the official power and torque output as well as the towing capacities. Both are expected to exceed the Super Duty’s current 935 lb-ft of torque and 35,000-pound maximum towing capacity.

Read the article at Car and Driver.

Waymo’s First Self-Driving Taxi Service is a Reality

The Verge

Since April 2017, Waymo’s Early Riders, a 400-person club, have been testing the company’s autonomous vehicles for trips to work, school, and various errands in the Phoenix, Arizona suburb of Chandler.

Some of these people will now migrate to Waymo One, while others will stay in the Early Rider program. Those who move to Waymo One will continue to use the company’s self-driving Chrysler Pacifica minivans in much the same way they did while in the Early Rider program — except now they will be charged for the rides.

Read the article at The Verge.

Ram Focuses on Truck’s Flexibility to Lure Buyers

The Detroit Bureau

Ram is aiming for commercial customers with a new 2019 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab, geared specifically to be put to work in a variety of different situations.

Jim Morrison, director of marketing for the Ram Brands, said the new family of heavy-duty chassis cabs will also deliver a package with more capability, more comfort and more technology. Adding to its leadership in technology, the new Ram Chassis Cab is the only truck in the segment to offer adaptive cruise control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and AEB with trailer brakes on all trim levels.

Read the article at The Detroit Bureau.

Trouble in the Cold


Detroit Free Press

Cold temperatures can sap electric car batteries, temporarily reducing their range by more than 40 percent when interior heaters are used, a new study by AAA found.

High temperatures can cut into battery range, but not nearly as much as the cold.

Many owners discovered the range limitations last week when much of the country was in the grips of a polar vortex. Owners of vehicles made by manufacturers including Tesla, the top-selling electric vehicle company in the U.S., complained on social media about reduced range and frozen door handles during the cold snap.

Read the article at Detroit Free Press.

 

 

Competition for Tesla?


Forbes

R.J. Scaringe, the 36-year-old CEO and founder of Rivian Automotive, a little-known electric-vehicle builder based in Plymouth, Michigan, has focused on environmentally friendly electric vehicles.

After nearly ten years of developing EV technology, its first two battery-powered autos were unveiled: the R1S, a seven-seat sport utility vehicle, and the R1T pickup truck.

Designed for people with active lifestyles, the vehicles exhibit a Range Rover aesthetic – rugged, capable and luxurious -and are packed with the latest high-tech amenities such as internet connectivity and a host of autonomous driver-safety features.

Read the article at Forbes.

 

Green Mode


Fortune

Lyft announced a new Green Mode, which will allow riders to request a ride specifically in a hybrid or electric vehicle for their ride. The feature is launching first in Seattle, and later in other parts of the country.

The EVs are being made available through Lyft’s Express Drive program. That program allows people that don’t have a vehicle to rent a vehicle with unlimited mileage, standard maintenance, and insurance included and drive for Lyft. Lyft says that as part of the initial launch, unlimited charging will be part of the weekly rate for renting one of the vehicles.

Read the article at Fortune,








Fleet Management Resources
 
AFLA – Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association
Providing the advanced forum for corporate fleet professionals to network with industry leaders.
The CEI Group Inc.
CEI is North America’s largest provider of fully integrated fleet accident management, driver safety and risk management services.
NAFA Fleet Management Association
NAFA is the association for the diverse vehicle fleet management profession regardless of organizational type, geographic location, or fleet composition.
ACERTUS
Offering a nationwide vehicle delivery and relocation service; serving the corporate and commercial fleet industry.
Donlen
Since 1965, Donlen has been the fleet management industry’s leading provider of comprehensive, integrated financing and asset management solutions — and that spirit of innovation continues today.
PARS
PARS' mission is to provide you with high-quality service at competitive prices for all of your transportation needs.
ARI
Driven fleet professionals. Driving results.
Driving Dynamics
Driving Dynamics was established to help corporate fleet drivers develop expert, safe driving skills using proven, advanced driving techniques.
Wheels, Inc.
First in fleet for 79 years. Wheels helps you build tomorrow’s fleet today.



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