AI Integration with Telematics is a Game-Changer for Fleet Management

For the past few years, the world has been abuzz with how the fast-paced advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has had a major impact on many different areas of our lives. Once the realm of Isaac Asimov and popular science fiction shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, computer programs capable of interacting with us, understanding our requests, remembering and learning from interactions and data inputs have entered our world. 

By now it’s highly likely you’ve seen at least one AI-creation, whether it was a video on social media, an impressive piece of artwork or a realistic image, or even one of the hilarious parody songs that have gone viral recently entirely written and scored by AI. ChatGPT has become a household name and even massive brands like Marvel have incorporated it into their shows like Secret Invasion (not without some controversy, it should be noted.) There are even discussions of using AI in medical technologies for faster diagnostics, and precision medicine. 

In essence, AI is everywhere. 

The trucking industry hasn’t been spared either. New companies and software are popping up that incorporate the lightning-fast data analysis capabilities of AI with more advanced data collection and monitoring technologies that are becoming standard in many semi-trucks around the globe. 

And it’s absolutely begun to revolutionize the industry. 

AI telematics is making fleet management faster, more efficient, and more profitable by providing data and assisting with decision-making in ways that go far beyond what we were ever capable of before. It’s not just about receiving data in real-time anymore. We’re getting a complete analysis of that data in real-time too. Constant monitoring and alert functions give your fleet dispatch a watchful eye over your entire fleet, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Detect and adjust routes based on up-to-date data to increase efficiency, detect potential malfunctions and operational hiccups before they become breakdowns, better predict when a vehicle will need maintenance to reduce costs and downtime, and give your fleet managers the type of command and control capabilities to have your shipping operations running like a well-oiled machine they’ve only dreamed of until now.

In this guide, the trucking experts at The Larson Group dive deep into AI’s integration into telematics, what the current capabilities and benefits of AI telematics are, and what this means for your fleet going forward.

What Are Telematics?

As a fleet manager yourself, you probably have a good idea of what telematics are. It’s the name the trucking industry has given to a range of technologies and integrated software that uses tools like GPS tracking, cameras and sensors, and other on-board diagnostics equipment to send data about a semi-truck’s position, condition, and operational efficiency. Telematics are capable of monitoring and reporting everything from the current engine temperature and fuel usage efficiency to speed, tire pressures, the time spent idling, and more.

The data received from telematics systems is more or less real-time. It allows fleet managers to keep a watchful eye on every vehicle in the fleet and alerts them to potential problems. It can even be used to diagnose certain operational issues and recommend maintenance to prevent breakdowns. While telematics has been around for decades, it has seen some major improvements in the past 15 years or so. Advancements in connectivity have allowed for better-integrated systems capable of capturing large volumes of more accurate data and transmitting it to fleet dispatch centers.

It'd be an understatement to say that telematics has become an absolutely essential part of fleet management. With the large volume of over-the-road transportation of goods taking place in the United States alone, telematics has made the complex logistics underpinning our economy possible at a grander scale. Things like reliable overnight shipping services as we know them today simply wouldn’t work without them.

And now with the introduction of AI, telematics just got a whole lot better.

How is AI Being Integrated with Telematics?

In general, AI programs capable of learning, advanced problem-solving, and automation have found a home in many applications throughout a variety of industries. The key to all of this is data. AI is extremely good at analyzing data, recognizing patterns, and discovering solutions to inefficiencies.

It’s a perfect complement to existing telematics technologies whose sole purpose is to monitor and feed massive amounts of fleet data back to fleet managers. Companies like Teletrac Navman have begun adapting AI to integrate seamlessly into telematics platforms to provide instant insights and actionable options. Whereas before it would take time to review the data and make decisions based on observed trends, AI allows for instantaneous, minute-by-minute data analysis. This provides numerous capabilities to fleet managers that simply didn’t exist a few years ago.

Automated Route Planning and Adjustment

Usually, route planning is a time-consuming and painstaking process most fleet managers do by hand with the data available from telematics and other sources. Typically the goals are to keep delivery schedules while also being as fuel-efficient as possible. In addition, terrain, traffic conditions, and weather needs to be taken into account to ensure the route isn’t too hard on a particular rig. Breakdowns not only require expensive repairs, but lead to downtime which costs the company money for every moment a vehicle isn’t on a delivery route. 

Adjustments can be, and are, made on the fly in severe cases. But when the rubber meets the road, every second counts and it’s impossible for fleet managers to know all of the pieces before making an immediate in-the-moment decision. AI telematics changes this. With a constant stream of data regarding semi-truck and driver performance, traffic reports, weather forecasts, and even construction zone notifications, AI can plan the most optimal route to ensure your shipment arrives faster with less fuel spent in the process. Routes can be adjusted and corrected automatically to compensate for unforeseeable occurrences like major traffic accidents or sudden storms and ice.

Driver Behavior Monitoring

Part of the analytical abilities of AI telematic programs is to detect when drivers may be acting in risky or inefficient ways. For example, it can monitor how drivers brake and accelerate to determine if they are handling their semi-truck in a safe manner out on the roads. It can also detect if drivers spend too much time idling their engines when they don’t need to, such as when making deliveries or parked for the night while not charging the battery or adjusting environmental control systems in the cabin. Idling can waste fuel resources and increase wear and tear on the engine, shortening the overall lifespan of the truck. 

AI telematics detects these behaviors in real-time and can suggest additional training for drivers to help them drive more efficiently and safely. If certain inefficient behaviors are widespread throughout the fleet, it can break down the total cost of them to give you greater insight into areas in need of improvement.

Tasking and Dispatch

The last thing you want is a wrench thrown in your routing plans because of an unexpected breakdown, but life happens. Rushing to reassign trucks and drivers to cover for surprise downtime is never fun, and it can be difficult to find the best resources to fill unexpected gaps in a rush. AI telematics can automate this process by analyzing telematics data from other vehicles and choosing replacements that are best suited for the job. 

Outside of emergencies, AI telematics can also help with tasking by giving you an overview of current resources and suggestions as to which resource will work best where. It can be used either to entirely automate this process so your fleet keeps rolling no matter what happens or as a helpful assistant that can give recommendations if you still want more control over the process yourself.

Predictive Maintenance

Telematics already works great as a tool to give you early warnings that something isn’t right with your truck before it turns into a big problem, but AI takes this to the next level. Its constant monitoring and number crunching allow for even earlier alerts that you need to get your semi looked at, allowing you to save more time and money by minimizing downtimes and preventing major issues from occurring. AI can even use historical data from your telematics system to create predictive maintenance schedules, essentially planning maintenance so that it’s the least disruptive and most cost-efficient.

Reducing Fleet Emissions

As a fleet manager, it’s likely you’re keeping an eye on local regulations about semi-truck emissions, carbon taxes, and rising consumer interest in sustainable fleet solutions. There are many routes you can take to meet lower emissions caps with some of them being much more costly than others. 

While making investments in electric semi-trucks or investing in more efficient engine components is one way to lower emissions, it can also be done with more careful route planning that focuses on fuel efficiency. This is a bit difficult to do by hand, but certainly possible. AI telematics makes it an absolute breeze. Combining the route automation feature discussed earlier with a focus on reducing less efficient driver behaviors like idling cut down on fuel usage without sacrificing your delivery schedules. Less fuel consumed means fewer emissions. 

While it may not cut emissions as much as going electric, it can be used to show your fleet’s commitment to sustainable trucking while also saving on costs.

The Benefits of Using AI Telematics

Now that we know a little bit more about how AI telematics is being used, let’s go over some of the benefits. AI has the potential to augment every aspect of fleet management, including cutting costs, increasing driver safety, and improving customer satisfaction.

AI Telematics Reduces Fleet Operation Costs

Running a fleet can be an expensive business. Everything from more direct costs of shipping like fuel and maintenance costs to opportunity costs like wasted potential profits from excessive downtime can add up. Unexpected weather and traffic events can cause delays and create unsafe conditions which can lead to accidents that could cost you precious money and resources. AI telematics solves this by processing data quickly and automating parts of fleet management to provide the quickest, most efficient routes. Semi-truck telematic data is monitored for fuel efficiency, and adjustments are made accordingly to help save costs on fuel expenses. In addition, data is used to predict when semi-trucks will need maintenance faster, allowing you to avoid costly repairs, potential breakdowns, and downtime. With automated resource management and route planning, AI can keep your fleet rolling at full capacity, increasing profitability.

AI Telematics Increases Driver Safety

Part of the data analyzed by AI integrated with telematics are things like braking, acceleration, proximity sensor data, turning, and more. As mentioned earlier, AI can determine if drivers are frequently exhibiting unsafe behavior patterns. It can recommend further training to make sure drivers practice safe driving habits and identify safety areas fleet-wide for you to improve on. It can also adjust routes for unsafe weather conditions, extreme traffic, or construction, allowing your drivers to operate in safer conditions as often as possible. With AI in the copilot seat, you can better protect your fleet’s greatest assets: Your drivers.

AI Telematics Helps You Better Serve Your Customers

At the end of the day, it’s all about how you can serve your customers better. Combining route data with inventory management capabilities allows for much faster, more efficient planning. You can get trucks out on the road quicker, recover faster from inclement weather or traffic jams, and not only keep all your routes on time but maybe even find ways to deliver ahead of schedule. As a result, your company will be able to deliver results much more reliably than other competitors. It also allows you to grow your business as the AI can help plan additional routes and deliveries with ease.

Is AI Telematics Right for You?

The next few years are about to become very interesting for the trucking industry. AI technologies are already beginning to shape the industry with advanced telematics integrations. As this technology spreads, it’s certain to have a major impact on how fleet managers run their businesses. 

Already the potential for AI in telematics is being explored to plan routes, predict maintenance, and look for ways to improve cost-efficiencies during general operation. Early adopters are poised to reap some major benefits including cost savings, increased driver and asset safety, and even more competitive service offerings. Telematics systems are already a big investment, and adding AI integrations to them is even more so. But as the future of the industry calls, fleet managers can no longer ignore the technological advancements taking place in the present.

Fleets are going to need to seriously consider if it makes sense to invest in AI telematics systems to improve their operations. Large- and medium-sized fleets are likely to see huge benefits from streamlined logistics management, while smaller fleets may not have the capital or need to acquire AI upgrades. Likewise, fleets that operate a number of larger routes are likely to see more efficiencies with AI than fleets that operate short, day routes that may not need as much monitoring or adaptations. Finally, there are the geographic and weather factors to consider. AI telematics has the potential to grant significant boons to fleets that operate in areas where extreme weather, such as snow and ice storms, frequently disrupt operations during part of the year. Getting semi-trucks back out on the road faster and safer after a storm can make a significant difference in profit margins. 

For now, the decision on whether to use AI in telematics will likely be one of practicality. Does upgrading now create opportunities to make up your investment and then some in the future? Does advanced logistics make sense for a fleet of your size? Answering these questions is key to determining whether AI telematics are right for you.