From automated servicing to 5 minute EV charging. From connected cars and digital road user charges to AI fleet management, Aotearoa is making waves in the world of fleet technology. At the recent Yoogo Fleet Technology Roadshow, a panel of experts explained how New Zealand is at the forefront of fleet innovation – and outlined some of the other big tech trends on the horizon. Connected vehicles boost safety and efficiency Modern cars can collect an enormous amount of data, using both onboard sensors and telematics. If you choose to share that data, it can provide a wealth of insights, from when the oil needs changing to early safety alerts. Fleet managers can immediately see how each vehicle is being used, address safety issues, undertake predictive maintenance and improve fleet efficiency. “Fleet is one of the top five costs for most businesses,” noted Michelle Herlihy, CEO of Speirs Finance Group, which owns Yoogo Fleet. “One of our new customers was immediately able to reduce their fleet by 5%, based on what we identified from our data and analytics. We looked at a few more strategies and managed to reduce costs by around 10% in total, across about 700 vehicles.” New Zealand is also leading the way as the testing ground for BYD’s Internet of Things (IoT) connected vehicles, with a 1000-car pilot currently underway. This would eliminate the need for additional in-car hardware, and could potentially provide national-level data on measurables like air quality. Plus, with electronic road user charges (eRUC) set to become mandatory from next year for all vehicles, connected cars offer a way to automate and streamline compliance. Yoogo Fleet is working alongside their telematics partner, to deliver seamless eRUC integration at fleet scale. Automation and AI improve fleet management Yoogo Fleet is the first fleet company