Otonomo Partners with LeasePlan to Impact Fleet Performance
Embedded vehicle data from Otonomo will expand LeasePlan’s connected vehicle ecosystem
Otonomo Inc., a leading provider of a pioneering vehicle data platform and marketplace, and LeasePlan USA, a global leader in fleet management and driver mobility services, have signed a strategic partnership to offer an unparalleled view and insights into fleet vehicle performance and behavior.
Starting this month, LeasePlan’s OneConnect telematics platform will leverage Otonomo’s high quality, application-ready OEM data - without any aftermarket devices. LeasePlan clients will immediately be able to manage and optimize driver behavior, fuel costs, maintenance trends and expenses across a wider range of vehicles.
Tesla Obtains Patent on its Wild Idea to Use Lasers as Windshield Wipers
Tesla has actually managed to obtain a patent on its wild idea to use lasers to clean debris off of vehicles. The automaker is literally talking about using laser beams basically as windshield wipers, and it’s exactly what Tesla shows in its patent drawings.
The patent application reads in part: “A cleaning system for a vehicle includes a beam optics assembly that emits a laser beam to irradiate a region on a glass article of the vehicle, debris detection circuitry that detects debris accumulated over the region, and control circuitry."
Elon Musk added that Tesla is launching the initiative because “if they don’t, someone else will do it, and he can’t make sure they will do it safely.”
Read the article at Electrek.
AFLA Coffee Break Webinar: Residual Value
Join AFLA on Monday, September 20, 2021 at 2 PM CT for a webinar on Residual Value with Jonathan Smoke, chief economist for Cox Automotive.
Live Q&A will be held after the presentation, moderated by the AFLA Digital Learning Task Force.
Be ready to turn on your video and microphone to partake in table discussions after the webinar, during this 1-hour event. Register now - space is limited! Registration is free to members, but limited to 50.
The Importance of Emergency Response in a Driver Risk Management Strategy
By Ed Dubens, Founder/ CEO of eDriving
Over the last few years advances in smartphone telematics technology not only means we can help drivers remain safe while driving for work purposes, but it also means we now have the ability and the data to respond in seconds in an emergency when it can mean the difference between life and death!
We all know about a single vehicle “event” with a driver unconscious at the side of the road and no witnesses to call for help, OR a driver delivering parcels in the run up to Christmas hijacked enroute to their delivery locations.
According to a European Transport Safety Council report: “Road safety policies typically aim to prevent collisions from occurring and to mitigate the impact of the collisions that do occur. An issue that has received less attention, is how improvements in emergency response can also help prevent deaths and reduce the severity of injuries.”
Years of Work by IIHS-HLDI Paved Way for Safety Provisions in Infrastructure Bill
The infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Senate this month contains a slew of long-awaited highway safety provisions.
Many of them are based on or supported by research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute.
The bill includes requirements for crash avoidance technology, an update to the rear underride guard standard for large trucks, an update to headlight standards to allow a new type of lighting technology, and a mandate to equip vehicles with passive alcohol detection technology.
Read the article at IIHS.
