When we discuss artificial intelligence (AI) in fleet shipping, it’s tempting to focus on revolutionary technologies that are still in development. While theories and prototypes can be exciting, it’s important to remember that fleets already use AI-driven technology every day.
Just 20 years ago, fleets still depended on workers armed with paper maps to choose the best route. Adaptive cruise control was a fresh new technology. Dashcams were an uncommon accessory devoted solely to recording video.
Advances in AI have changed all that. Routing technology shows drivers the best way to get from point A to point B. Driver assistance technologies are the norm. And vehicle video solutions don’t just record – they can detect distracted driving.
We know artificial intelligence is an exciting part of the future of fleet. It’s also a key part of its present. Here are the top three examples of how fleets use AI here and now.
One of the most promising applications of AI – not just in fleet, but in general – is autonomous driving. When we drive, we make thousands of split-second decisions based on what we see and hear around us. In other words, we process and analyse an immense amount of data. It’s apparent why AI is the foundation of autonomous driving. It can identify objects, interpret them, and respond on the road.
Experts describe autonomous driving in terms of levels. A level one vehicle has one automated system assisting the driver, such as adaptive cruise control; a level five vehicle is fully self-driving with no human involvement required.
Fully autonomous commercial fleets aren’t a reality yet, though companies like Waymo are testing them. However, AI-assisted driving has become so common that three-quarters of newly registered vehicles have some level of autonomous capabilities.
In other words, semi-autonomous driving is becoming the norm. Vehicles with adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance have been on the market for years. In 2015, Tesla famously released its Autopilot system, which adds automatic lane changes and sign recognition.
Many fleets around the world already benefit from AI-driven autonomous vehicle technology, even if there’s still a human in the driver’s seat.
The core goal of any fleet shipping enterprise is simple: get things from point A to point B, as efficiently as possible. AI-driven route optimisation has made reaching that goal much easier.
Machine learning models examine data for locations where drivers tend to brake hard, like confusing freeway exits. They can use this to suggest alternate routes that cut down on delays. In an industry that loses 1.2 billion hours in productivity per year to traffic jams, that’s crucial.
Of course, Google Maps is just one app – one that doesn’t offer a truck mode. But other mobile apps and connected GPS systems also use smart algorithms to choose the best route. Most commercial drivers benefit from AI-assisted route optimisation every workday.
After years of progress, it’s easy to lose sight of just how far vehicle video technology has come. Today’s fleets can access 360-degree camera coverage with a long list of safety benefits – many of them enabled by AI.
AI-enabled cameras can do more than record footage. They can identify other vehicles veering dangerously close and alert the driver. They can idle, then turn on when they detect hard braking or excessive speeding. In-cab cameras positioned on the driver can even detect distraction.
The technology behind such solutions may be complex, but the benefits are simple. AI-enabled cameras help fleets increase safety.
It was not long ago that fleet professionals had to literally trace their route in pencil on a physical map. The industry has come a long way since then. Today, the average fleet uses some form of AI-driven technology every day.
Autonomous vehicles, route optimisation, and smart cameras are only some of the most common AI-driven technologies in fleet. Other fleets take their investment in artificial intelligence a step further with predictive maintenance, AIoT, and more.
Whether a fleet wants to go all-in on AI solutions or pick and choose what’s right for them, KORE Fleet can help.
If you want to learn more, our KORE Fleet experts are ready to talk when you are. Watch our latest webinar, “Where AI & IoT Meet for Fleet: Innovations for Risk Mitigation.”
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