The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved beyond science fiction to offer concrete solutions for fleet managers.

As explained by Guillaume Poudrier, President of Geothentic, fleet managers must make daily decisions based on multiple data points drawn from telematics while juggling constant variations. “How do you make decisions to ensure the best resource is assigned to accomplish a given task? There are billions of possible combinations. And what happens if a vehicle breaks down on the road; how do you find the most efficient solution?”

For Poudrier, letting artificial intelligence sort through all the data and propose ideal solutions to managers removes emotional or political factors from the equation. Each department has its importance, and their directors will always want priority access to mobile equipment. With numbers in hand, it becomes easier to reduce these debates and agree on the best decision.

Quality data

Obviously, data collection relies on the presence of necessary sensors on vehicles. Additionally, the company’s computer systems must be able to communicate to enable data sharing on demand.

The concept of a robot automatically processing data to extract scenarios that answer a manager’s specific questions is well understood today. What’s changing is the refinement of solutions offered by firms specializing in fleet management support. As Poudrier notes, introducing AI-related solutions to a fleet can be done gradually, specifically by establishing clear problems to correct or precise objectives to achieve.

When asked about this, Anthony Mainville, President of Attrix, presents several applications where Artificial Intelligence can make a difference.

“The sustainable mobility we hear so much about represents an extremely complex challenge,” explains Mainville, who is also president of the Zero-Emission Trucking Interest Community at Propulsion Quebec. “Artificial intelligence will be essential in helping managers identify where gains can be made. If the data is well-structured, very precise actions can be taken to make a difference in the short term. For example, is it worth opting for a pickup truck equipped with a large battery as part of fleet electrification when usage patterns and easy access to charging stations don’t justify this option?”

The expert mentions, along the same lines, that AI route optimization could reduce fuel consumption and distance travelled by up to 25%.

According to Mainville, performance indicator dashboards will soon no longer be enough. “Route optimization, for example, means asking the system to propose a solution when a driver is sick and a new construction site starts on the route.”

Increasingly, the ability to converse with the system is becoming available, similar to what we see with ChatGPT, which will draw from the fleet’s database.

Fishing for Information

This is exactly what our colleague Huw Evans illustrates in his recent interview with Mike Branch, Vice President of Data and Analytics at Geotab. Branch who confirms that it’s difficult for a fleet manager to dive into an ocean of data to fish out relevant information.

“The challenge for many fleet managers is making sense of all this data. Geotab has developed Geotab Ace, an AI-powered analytics assistant. With Ace, we have the ability to use data without needing a data analyst, but it’s also possible to leverage AI technology by asking questions. Essentially, you ask Ace a question, and it provides an answer by performing background queries, extracting data from thousands of different vehicles to quickly obtain the necessary information.”

François-Alexandre Tremblay, Head of Innovation 4.0 at Baseline, a Quebec-based solidarity cooperative offering AI consulting services, mentions an important element in this whole matter of data management and AI-optimized solutions: “There are direct impacts on the company’s competitive positioning,” he explains. “If your company’s deliveries are never late or you can pass on the benefits of your good resource management to your customers, you strengthen your market position.”

Tremblay notes that there are several solutions that can help managers in their decision-making. “But we need to establish our needs beforehand and see if a generic solution applies or if the company will need a custom solution. What’s certain,” Tremblay assures, “is that platforms need to be tested before committing to a contract.”