Whenever a new technology is introduced, some people jump all in and embrace it 100%. At the other end of the spectrum are people who insist the new technology is a fluke and will never use it. (Hint: These technology laggards typically miss out on some of the significant benefits of the technology that early adopters achieve.)
Then there are the rest of us, somewhere in the middle. While we are not afraid of the new technology, we are not willing to commit 100% to it, and we do not see it as the answer to all our problems. We view it as a tool and try to determine how best to leverage it to improve our operations.
I think that is what many fleets are doing now. We are trying to determine how to leverage AI to improve processes and efficiency and to provide real-time insights into what is happening in the fleet.
One way I think fleets can benefit from AI is through route optimization. From what I understand, AI programs can use real-time data, including information on weather, road conditions, and traffic, along with delivery deadlines, to dynamically optimize routing. What this means in practice is that if AI detects a traffic jam, it can reroute a vehicle instantly. This can help improve on-time deliveries and save fuel by reducing idling, as drivers will not be wasting time sitting in traffic or construction zones.
Programs like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity AI, and others show some potential for assisting with writing client proposals. Here's a word of caution: You cannot simply have AI write a proposal for you and assume you can just send it to the client. You will need to review the proposal to ensure it is accurate and that the messaging is correct. Think of your work with these programs as the first draft of a paper you wrote in college—a good starting place, but not something that is going to earn you a high grade.
AI can also be leveraged for vehicle maintenance by analyzing data from vehicle sensors and maintenance records to provide insight into when a vehicle will need to be serviced next. This will allow you to make data-driven decisions at the right time to bring a vehicle in for service and help you optimize maintenance schedules to avoid on-road breakdowns.
AI can be a valuable tool in your fleet management tool kit, but remember that the results of AI are only as good as the data it can access. This means you need to ensure your data is cleaned and not siloed, as doing so will decrease the effectiveness of your AI tool.
AI will not solve all of a fleet’s problems, but it can provide some valuable insights that fleet managers can use to improve overall operating efficiency.
