Five Aspects of Fleet Management Systems to Consider in 2022
January 14, 2022 - Fleet Management is the umbrella term that refers to all processes involved in the smooth functioning of a fleet of commercial vehicles. The operations involved are monitoring fleet activities, asset management, route planning, and driving data insights.
One of the most important aspects of a fleet management system is GPS tracking that helps access the real-time location and movement of all the fleet assets – driver, vehicles, equipment, and more. A professional telematics solution can improve accuracy. This data helps businesses to calculate an estimated time of arrival. Fleet managers/owners can get sensors that detect fuel levels, open doors, and more to improve savings.
Next comes the aspect of driver management that includes monitoring and measuring essential driving parameters like acceleration, harsh braking, speeding, and over idling. This data helps improve driver efficiency and productivity, decrease chances of accidents, lower fuel consumption and improve vehicle performance. Maintenance costs and downtimes also tend to reduce. In the driver management module, health and safety are a priority.
DMV May Ask Tesla to Share Full Self-Driving Data After All
January 12, 2022 - Tesla asked the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for an exemption from having to provide reports of its autonomous drives carried out by vehicles running Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta. The manufacturer argued that since a driver is always needed at the wheel, it therefore technically wasn’t autonomous driving, and the agency agreed.
The argument seemed to hold at first, although Tesla’s communications with the DMV weren’t all that clear, now the DMV is reconsidering granting this exemption. The state agency says this was prompted after it came across ‘videos showing dangerous use’ of FSD Beta.
Sen. Lena Gonzales, chair of the California Senate's transportation committee personally asked the DMV in December to clarify why the agency had accepted the exception, in spite of the fact that there were numerous videos that showed Teslas on FSD performing potentially dangerous maneuvers in traffic. She specifically asked for FSD Beta safety data, which the DMV was not able to provide since it had received hardly any.
Nuro Reveals Production-Ready Delivery Robot
January 13, 2022 - This week Nuro took the wraps off its third-generation autonomous delivery vehicle, following up on the smaller R2 units that have been deployed since 2020. The latest model, according to Nuro, represents an improvement over previous designs, and is ready to enter mass production.
The electric delivery robot new features dual 27-cubic-foot compartments that can carry almost 500 pounds, or about 24 grocery bags. The two cargo bays can also feature modular inserts for heating and cooling, as most of the robots will be aimed at food delivery tasks. The new robot will have a top speed of 45 mph and will be able to operate on city streets, if not highways.
One new addition when it comes to safety is an external passenger airbag, designed to deploy in front of the vehicle to soften any potential impact with pedestrians or cyclists.
GM Aligns With California on Emission Rules, State Looks to Buy GM EVs
January 9, 2022 - General Motors said it will recognize California’s authority to set vehicle emission standards under the Clean Air Act. The automaker sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday saying it is "committed to complying with California's regulations."
GM's move now puts it on the list of carmakers to be eligible for government fleet purchases by the state of California, including purchases of GM's upcoming electric vehicles, GM said.
Three years ago, Newsom announced the state would not buy any GM vehicles for its government fleets because GM had supported then-President Donald Trump's efforts to ban California from making its own emissions rules.
3G Wireless Network Shutdown Means Your Car May Lose Automatic Crash Notification
January 11, 2022 - As wireless carriers prepare to shut down their 3G networks over the coming months, millions of cars may lose the ability to automatically contact first responders after a crash.
Some vehicles just need a software or hardware upgrade, but others—including vehicles from Chrysler, Dodge, Hyundai, Jeep, Lexus, Nissan, Ram, and Toyota—will lose their connections permanently.
Automatic crash notification, which alerts first responders after a crash via a built-in cellular connection, often relies on aging 3G cellular networks to connect drivers with emergency services and share a vehicle’s location. Even though automakers have been aware that these networks are shutting down permanently between February and July, many manufacturers still relied on it until as recently as the 2021 model year.
