Features

Bringing Unfiltered Access to Data

Matthew Ballentine, Geotab Regional Manager ANZ, tells MHD how the company is now one of the largest telematics outfits in the world and has become the first to surpass two million connected vehicles built on a single, open platform.

Q. What is Geotab’s position in the Australian supply chain?

A: The Australian commercial telematics market is currently one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. Despite its rapid growth, fleets in regional and remote Australia face some of the toughest conditions in the world and require a comprehensive telematics platform. With over 30,000 connected vehicles in the continent and more than 2 million vehicles across the globe, Geotab has proudly served the Australian market for more than 16 years. Geotab processes over 40 billion data points per day to provide customers with data-driven insights. By adopting a telematics platform, like Geotab, Australian transportation companies can help improve the reliability of their supply chain by gaining real-time data insights into multiple facets of their business. Plugging into a standard OBD-II port, each Geotab GO device is equipped with features for accurate fleet diagnostics, vehicle health assessments and more, allowing businesses in transportation to maintain true continuity while running their distribution chains. 

Q: Why are your solutions important and unique?

A: Geotab brings a unique telematics platform to the market in a few different ways. First, Geotab provides an open platform which gives our customers unfiltered access to their data. This is important because it allows customers to have complete control over their data, enabling companies to share and utilise the data as they see fit. Going further, Geotab provides customers with access to its robust platform of hardware Add-Ons and software Add-Ins, the Geotab Marketplace, that seamlessly integrate with Geotab’s open platform. Secondly, Geotab supports the largest set of EV makes and models available, including medium and heavy-duty EVs and buses. With Geotab’s fleet management platform, MyGeotab, electric fleets can feel confident that they have full access to their EV data and Geotab can provide the full telematics support to help fleets transition from 0-100% electric. Geotab offers a wide-range of fleet electrification tools such as the EV Battery Degradation tool, the Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment (EVSA) tool and the Temperature Tool for EV Range, all of which are available to help measure key performance indicators to ensure the transition and maintenance of EV fleets is as simple as possible. Lastly, Geotab delivers its technology through its unique Reseller model, which enables Geotab to allocate its resources to deliver the best-in-class products without forfeiting quality customer service for their end users. 

Q: Can you share more about this solution in practice? 

A: Many governments are focusing their efforts on reducing their carbon emissions and reaching their sustainability goals. The City of Seattle, for example, has an ambitious goal of cutting carbon emissions 50 per cent by 2025 and becoming fossil fuel free by 2030. Geotab was the telematics provider chosen to help meet their sustainability goals, accurately measure electricity use by the city’s electric vehicles and determine which internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles could successfully be cycled out for EVs. By integrating the Geotab platform, the City of Seattle was able to measure the true cost and benefit of EVs and support their sustainability efforts. 

An Australian client in the global logistics category also recently adopted Geotab’s telematics platform to help limit speeding and harsh driving events and better manage costs and out of hours use of their light fleet assets. By integrating the Geotab platform, this client was able to implement rule changes and alerts to help adjust driver behaviour. By doing so, they noticed a reduction in fuel waste and vehicle misuse which enabled the company to reduce costs and improve safety. 

Q: In today’s demanding and fast paced supply chain, why is optimisation key?

A: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on supply chains – and the global economy as a whole. Organisations in charge of maintaining healthy, expedient supply chains have been tasked with finding immediate ways to restore a sense of normalcy to their operations. Australian supply chains have faced fluctuating demand levels which have put added pressures on businesses and in some cases have stretched already constrained budgets to help meet these demands. By implementing a comprehensive telematics platform, businesses are able to help keep fleets on the road and the supply chain moving with better maintenance planning, better fuel management, improved electric vehicle transition or operation support and improved safety measures to help keep drivers safe from injury or collision and much more. By gaining greater insights and control over operations, businesses are equipped with the tools needed to help improve various facets of their business operations and potentially get more done with less. 

 Q: How are you spearheading sustainability targets?

A: Geotab has long stood behind its fleet management pillars: Productivity, Optimisation, Safety, Compliance and Expandability. The sixth and newest pillar, Sustainability, reflects the role that telematics and connected vehicles play in helping businesses reduce their environmental footprint. Demonstrating its commitment to sustainable innovation, Geotab recently announced it officially supports 100 EV makes and models, securing its position as a global leader in EV support. Reaching the 100 milestone for EV model support is a great opportunity to reflect on how far Geotab has come to support businesses and fleets who are striving to reach and surpass their sustainability goals. 

Going further, Geotab has introduced a variety of tools and resources including the EV Battery Degradation tool, the Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment (EVSA) tool and the Temperature Tool for EV Range. All of these tools are available to help measure key performance indicators to ensure the transition to fleet electrification is as simple as possible. For example, with the Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment tools, Geotab uses the telematics data of a customer’s existing assets to match specific vehicles with a suitable EV replacement. This addresses one of the key fears with EVs, range anxiety. Based on a specific vehicle’s history, fleet managers can be assured that the replacement vehicle can cover the distance required on battery power, or by plug-in hybrid, providing confidence that customers are adopting the right electric fleet. Since Geotab Australia is a member of the Electric Vehicle Council, we know that transportation accounts for almost 20 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions. With this in mind, Geotab is committed to helping Australian organisations lower these emissions by helping simplify the transition to electric and by providing greater EV support for mass  electric fleet adoption.

For more information on Geotab, click here.

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