A Win-Win Situation

The Guangzhou WeRide Uber partnership is a win-win for the two companies. This is the first time that WeRide is collaborating with a global ride-hailing company, The Uber partnership will enable WeRide to expand its operations beyond the Chinese borders.

For Uber, the partnership presents an opportunity to incorporate more robotaxis into its platform. Uber has collaborated with several autonomous vehicle companies lately as it seeks to maintain its lead in the ride-hailing space.

Earlier this month, the ride-hailing company partnered with Waymo to onboard its robotaxis in Atlanta and Austin in the US. In August this year, Uber partnered with Cruise, the robotaxi unit at General Motors. Cruise robotaxis will operate through Uber’s autonomous vehicle platform from 2025.

Uber also announced a deal with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD. The Uber BYD deal will see Uber add 100,000 Chinese-manufactured electric cars to its fleet of cars globally. Uber is currently working with UK-based autonomous vehicle company, Wayve. Uber made a strategic investment into Wayve to facilitate further development of its AI-powered self-driving technology.

UAE Entry

The collaboration between Uber and WeRide is set to commence in Abu Dhabi later this year. This means that when passengers request rides on the Uber app, they may be given the option of picking an Uber Chinese robotaxi in the UAE.

WeRide secured a national license for autonomous vehicles in the UAE in July this year. The Middle East has become the go-to market for many Chinese autonomous vehicle companies due to its friendly regulatory environment and funding.

With its first and only national license for self-driving vehicles, the Chinese company can test and operate robotaxis on public roads across the UAE.

The Regulation Challenge

WeRide has made attempts to list its shares in the US with a $5 billion valuation. However, this is yet to happen as its initial public offering was delayed. The company said it was completing the necessary documentation to proceed with the listing.

Regulation continues to pose a challenge to the entry of Chinese autonomous vehicles technology into the US market. On September 23, the Biden administration proposed new requirements that prohibit Chinese auto manufacturers from testing their autonomous vehicles on US roads. This includes vehicle hardware and software produced by US foreign adversaries like Russia.

Outside the US, Uber is contending with data protection challenges. Last month, the ride-hailing platform was slapped with a $324 million fine in the Netherlands. Dutch regulators fined the company after it established that Uber had been sending sensitive personal data belonging to Dutch drivers to the US without their consent. This violates the EU data protection laws.

The post WeRide Partnership Takes Uber Robotaxis to the UAE appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Understanding the
rise of China's OEMs: Key players,
global ties, and future potential

In this new report, automotive industry analyst, Felipe Munoz, analyses the rapidly evolving landscape within China, alongside an overview of the main players emerging from China’s burgeoning automotive industry.

Learn about the key players, global ties, and future potential of Chinese car brands, and access the latest market data and intelligence.

The post Understanding the rise of China’s OEMs: Key players, global ties, and future potential appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Tesla’s Europe plan is currently awaiting regulator approval. In July this year, Elon Musk said regulators were likely to approve Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software by the end of this year.

Cybercab Launch

Tesla’s share spike comes just a month to the launch of the company’s robotaxis- cybercab. The robotaxis will be powered by Tesla’s driver assistance software that enables drivers to brake, steer, and accelerate on highways and across cities with human supervision.

On Thursday, Musk said Tesla’s FSD technology could be unveiled in right-hand drive countries next year towards the end of quarter one or early quarter two. This implies right-hand markets in China and Europe, which could mean Hong Kong, the UK, and Macau.

The automaker also announced that its FSD technology and Autopark capability will be available for Cyber Trucks this month. In October, Tesla said it would be adding the reverse, park, and unpark functions to FSD.

To access the FSD software, Tesla owners have to pay to unlock semi-autonomous driver assistance capabilities. US buyers can purchase the software for $8000 or pay a monthly subscription fee of $99 to access the supervised version.

FSD Tests

In April, Chinese authorities tentatively approved the launch of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology in the country. In June, the company tested its FSD technology in Shanghai, China with 10 vehicles. These tests paved the way for the EV maker to roll out the technology in China where it faces stiff competition from local EV manufacturers. Tesla has a mega factory in Shanghai.

It’s still not clear where the EV maker currently stands with regulators in the European Union.

Even so, the EU reduced tariffs on Tesla EVs imported from China by more than 50% last month. This move gives Tesla a competitive advantage over rival EV makers and boosts future sales in the region.

Investor Caution

As Tesla works to take self-driving to Europe, Wall Street is acting with caution regarding self-driving technologies due to the tough regulatory environment. However, investors expect that potentially, a Trump administration may fast track the regulatory process within the US.

“This may be easier in China, given that it’s joined forces with the Chinese search giant Baidu to use its navigation system. It looks set to be a longer process for approval in Europe,” Susannah Streeter, an Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown said.

Previously, Musk’s aggressive deadlines have caused apprehension among analysts and investors, particularly after Tesla missed various targets for FSD and the Cyber Truck.

The post Tesla’s Full Self Driving Plans Boost Share Value appeared first on Tech Research Online.

The importance of fleet management for a company is like how the headlights and GPS are useful to truck drivers. While they can operate without these systems, the lights and telematics tracking help to identify the best routes and stay confident.

That is how fleet management systems work for businesses, logistics, and delivery companies. From vehicle acquisition to maintenance, fuel management, and driver safety – you should understand how to manage your fleets for business growth and profit.

This guide offers a comprehensive introduction to fleet management, from its definition to optimizing business operations. We’ll explore the role of fleet managers, common challenges, and how to stay ahead of essential technology trends.

What is Fleet Management?

Fleet management is the overall process of how a company oversees, manages, and ensures the smooth running of its vehicles. While it encompasses maintaining the effectiveness of the company’s fleet operations, we also refer to monitoring their performances on the road.

The purpose of fleet management includes vehicle acquisition, cost optimization, preventive maintenance, fuel efficiency, and driver behavior and safety. The person who manages the fleet is called a fleet manager and is responsible for centrally controlling all administrative aspects. The manager’s job varies depending on the fleet size and organization.

Types of Fleets

Understand that company fleets do not only refer to delivery and logistics trucks that transport goods and services. Commonly used vehicles like freight trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and cargo vans are categorized into two fleet types.

• Commercial Fleets: This refers to the vehicles important for a business to transport goods and services to clients. Commercial fleets can be classified into delivery vehicles, service vehicles, and taxis. Common uses include logistics delivery, vans for HVAC repair, electric work, and on-site services.
• Corporate Fleets: The purpose of corporate fleets is to support internal business functions such as employee transportation, and official travel. They are not for direct generation of revenue like the commercial fleets. Examples include executive vehicles and staff buses for employees. The effective usage of corporate fleets can improve employee retention when offered as organization perks.

How to Manage a Fleet

Discover the best practices for fleet management systems whether you are an experienced manager or a new person on the job. We explain how to manage a fleet in a rapidly developing automotive safety systems market.

• Develop a Comprehensive Fleet Management Plan: Understand your specific business needs such as asset fleet size and types of vehicles such as trucks, vans, cargo, or SUVs. A good plan should include vehicle acquisition, maintenance, and proper disposal of the old ones. As a fleet coordinator, you should create a budget based on this management plan to guide decision-making.
• Implement Fleet Maintenance Routine Programs: Schedule preventive maintenance checks to prevent costly breakdowns or delivery downtimes. You can use fleet management software to track routine inspections on vehicle components.
• Monitor Driver Performance and Top Fleet KPIs: Train your drivers on the best fleet technology trends and safe road practices that follow company policies. You can use telematics data or vehicle management software to control speeding or harsh braking. Managing a fleet also involves analyzing key performance indicators like fuel efficiency to make data-driven decisions.
• Leverage Fleet Management Technology: Integrating advanced vehicle control and tracking systems is another way to manage a fleet. Install telematics devices to get real-time data updates like location and speed. We also have electronic logging devices to document driving hours and fleet management software to centralize all data insights.

Importance of Fleet Management

Knowing how to manage a fleet is important for businesses that rely on transportation and logistics to operate effectively. The benefits of well-organized fleet management systems are:

• Data-driven decision making
• Improved driver safety and behavior
• Higher customer satisfaction metrics
• Optimal vehicle utilization
• Real-time telematics data of fleet
• Better fuel efficiency
• Fleet maintenance scheduling

Who is the Fleet Manager and What Does a Fleet Manager Do?

The role of a fleet manager is crucial in any company that prioritizes safety and optimized performance of its delivery and logistics vehicles. Check out the day-to-day maintenance responsibilities required to ensure smooth operations:

• Fleet Acquisition: Choosing the correct vehicles for transporting goods, services or personnel can help avoid financial losses in the long run. The fleet manager’s duty is to confirm that leased or purchased company trucks are suitable for the logistic needs, in good condition, and with excellent resale value.
• Vehicle Maintenance and Repairs: Regular checks and scheduling preventive maintenance on logistics vehicles and delivery trucks are other roles of fleet managers. Proper inspection should be done before and after every use to promptly identify repair needs.
• Driver Management: The fleet manager is also responsible for recruiting and training drivers. Other duties include monitoring their adherence to safety protocols.
• Fuel Management: With the average fleet spending 25% of operating costs on fuel, the fleet manager needs to track its consumption and minimization strategies. A good suggestion is switching to electric fleets where possible.
• Route Optimization: Analyze data to optimize delivery routes to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of your fleets.

How Much Can You Earn as a Fleet Manager?

Based on available fleet manager job postings, the average salary is about $48,000 to $119,860 depending on your experience. Working in higher-paying cities can also influence how much salary you earn to manage fleets. Minimum qualifications for such fleet coordinator jobs are usually relevant interstate trucking experience and how to manage CDL drivers.

For senior management roles, a bachelor’s degree from college or university might be needed in addition to a commercial driver’s license. Related coursework is transportation, public administration, asset, or public facility management. Years of experience preferably in fleet supervisory roles is prioritized for higher-paying jobs.

Difference Between a Fleet Manager and a Logistics Manager

The job of a fleet manager is similar in some aspects but different from a logistics manager. Logistics fleet management is a broader scope that focuses on the entire supply chain process, from the procurement of raw materials to the delivery of finished products to consumers.
Key responsibilities of a logistics manager

• Overseeing the movement of finished products through the supply chain.
• Managing inventory records of warehouse operations.
• Working with fleet managers to optimize transportation routes.
• Analyze supply chain processes to increase efficiency.

How to Optimize Fleet Management Using Predictive Analysis?

Predictive analytics in fleet management is a powerful optimization strategy for your company’s logistics and delivery vehicles. It involves collecting real-time data to predict what happens next in your day-to-day operations and minimize truck downtimes. Here is how to use predictive analysis in your fleet management system:

• Anticipate Fleet Maintenance: Predictive analytics in fleet management helps you identify maintenance needs using available vehicle data. It is your responsibility as a fleet manager to constantly analyze these insights. You can avoid costly repairs and optimize vehicle uptime by predicting possible breakdown issues.
• Prioritize Route Planning: Route optimization is another function of fleet management predictive analysis systems. As the person in charge of the fleets, you can use traffic insights, weather conditions, and delivery schedules to choose the best route. This helps to reduce fuel consumption and improve customer satisfaction through timely deliveries.
• Monitor Fuel Efficiency KPIs: Fuel makes up a huge part of your fleet maintenance budget. Apart from route optimization, knowing how to optimize fleets with predictive analytics solves fuel inefficiency issues. You get access to real-time road data on idle usage and aggressive driving behavior such as speeding or harsh braking.
• Remain Proactive on Risk Management: The goal of optimizing your fleet management with predictive analytics is staying proactive and not being reactive. Therefore, fleet managers must constantly observe vehicle logistics trends, focus on telematics, and seek preventive measures before downtime. Using predictive analytics makes it easier to manage your fleets.

What are the Fleet KPIs to Track for Improved Performance Metrics?

The process of optimizing your fleet management system requires the identification of key performance indicators (KPIs). They are the measurable metrics through which a company can evaluate the effectiveness of its vehicle maintenance and management strategies. Check out the important key performance indicators for fleet management:

• Operational Cost Management KPIs: This includes performance indicators data such as fleet administrative costs, cost per mile, and vehicle total cost of ownership (TCO). The goal of these KPIs for fleet managers is to ensure the overall efficiency of the daily running cost of the vehicles.
• Safety and Driver Performance KPIs: Components of safety KPIs focus on tracking incident and accident rates, monitoring near misses, and identifying part failures in trucks. Assessing driving behaviors such as speeding, accelerating, and braking is the importance of driver performance indicators.
• Efficiency KPIs: The efficiency key performance indicators for fleet managers include the vehicle utilization rate, fuel economy, preventive maintenance, and vehicle downtime analysis. You can improve efficiency KPIs for fleet management by analyzing useful telematics data like travels per unit of fuel and follow-up on scheduled maintenance.
• Customer Satisfaction KPIs: Focusing on these key performance indicators for fleet management systems helps to track delivery times and corresponding customer satisfaction scores (CSAT). It involves analyzing received feedback from clients on the effectiveness of your delivery systems.

Top Fleet Management Technology Trends to Observe

The future of fleet management systems is promising with many projected statistics indicating continuous growth of the industry. Integrating the best technology into your vehicle operations is a way to stay ahead of the curve. We discuss the latest IT management tech for fleet owners to incorporate in overcoming industry challenges like fueling problems and effective maintenance.

• Video Telematics System: This advanced fleet technology combines live video footage with traditional telematics data to oversee vehicle and driver performance in real-time. Using in-vehicle cameras, IoT sensors, and GPS, makes it easier to manage a fleet more effectively and safely.
• Augmented Reality (AR): This innovative IT fleet management technology synchronizes digital information with real-time scenarios. Overlaying virtual elements onto the physical environment helps automotive technicians easily diagnose complex vehicle faults and interact with available fleet data. Through augmented reality, drivers can receive navigation instructions, and traffic and hazard updates without taking their eyes off the road.
• Blockchain: Popular for its cryptocurrency application, Blockchain can function as an accurate fleet technology to securely store vehicle insights. Scheduled maintenance histories can help track the health of your fleet. Other potentials of Blockchain include the decentralized nature that protects data against hacking while supporting integrations with IoT devices and telematics systems to record the real-time location of company trucks and cargo.

Related Post – Top 7 Real Estate Trends You Need to Know in 2024

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for Fleet Operations

This sophisticated fleet management technology system combines sensors, cameras, radar, and artificial intelligence to assist drivers. We have two types of advanced driver assistance systems; the passive ADAS and the active ADAS. The passive assistance systems provide visual and audio notifications to correct driver behaviors and enhance safety practices on the road. Active ADAS is a step further and uses automated features such as lane departure warning, emergency braking systems, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot detection. These active alerts help to reduce the risk of accidents caused by driver errors.

Challenges in Fleet Management Systems

Managing a fleet of hundreds of vehicles for large businesses is no easy task. While recent technologies like video telematics and advanced driver assistance systems have made the job easier, fleet managers still face complex challenges to ensure efficiency and profitability. So, what are the key challenges of fleet management systems?

• Optimizing Operational Costs: Fluctuating fuel prices, tracking fuel consumption rates and regular maintenance costs is a constant struggle for fleet managers. Insurance premiums can also be high for companies with a history of accidents or claims.
• Driver Management and Retention: Recruitment of experienced fleet managers knowledgeable on the latest technology trends is a challenge. Another issue is the continuous training of your drivers on adherence to safety protocols.
• Fleet Technology Integration: The advancement of telematics, GPS, and fleet management software presents opportunities and challenges. Optimizing collected data into actionable insights enhances efficiency but also requires complex tools or experienced coordinators.
• Risk Management and Safety: Driver safety is one major concern, especially ensuring they follow arranged protocols to prevent accidents. Another related fleet management challenge is using security systems to prevent personnel or delivery vehicles from theft. Unsafe weather conditions and road hazards also pose constant threats.

Conclusion

Understanding fleet management systems is important for companies concerned about the effective transportation of their goods and services. With the continuous fluctuations in inflation rates and fuel prices, optimizing your delivery routes or vehicle usage can save money. We already explained how to optimize your fleet using predictive analytics and the KPIs to track for better performance. Ensure you stay updated with the latest technologies to overcome the challenges of the fleet industry.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Fleet Management: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Bloomberg reported that the $324 million fine is the highest that the Dutch DPA has issued. It’s also the largest fine that Uber has received globally.

Serious Violation

Uber is said to have transferred cab drivers’ data to the US without proper safeguards over a two year period. The Dutch DPA said its investigations showed that Uber driver data sent to the US included taxi licenses, photos, location data, IDs, and in some instances, medical and criminal records.

“This constitutes a serious violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In Europe, the GDPR protects people’s fundamental rights by requiring companies and governments to handle personal data with care. But outside Europe, this is unfortunately not the case. This is why companies are usually obliged to take extra measures if they store personal data of Europeans outside the European Union,” Dutch DPA Chair Aleid Wolfsen said.

However, the DPA said that Uber stopped doing so late last year and implemented proper safeguards.

Uber to Appeal

The Dutch DPA commenced investigations on the Uber Netherlands driver data case after a human rights organization from France raised complaints with authorities in the country. The rights organization was acting on behalf of 170 cab drivers.

The complaint was forwarded to the Netherlands where Uber’s European headquarters are located. Uber was quick to deny any wrongdoing, saying the fine was not justified. In a separate statement, the French data protection regulator said it cooperated with the DPA in the case.

“This flawed decision and extraordinary fine are completely unjustified. Uber’s cross-border data transfer process was compliant with GDPR during a 3-year period of immense uncertainty between the EU and US,” Uber spokesperson Caspar Nixon said in an email.

Uber’s spokesperson said the company will appeal the decision and is confident that common sense will prevail. Uber can file an appeal with the DPA. If unsuccessful, the company can move the case to Dutch courts.

Second Fine in a Year

This is the second time that the Dutch DPA has fined Uber. Earlier this year, the privacy regulator fined the ride-hailing company $11 million for infringing on data privacy regulations, including handling and retention of personal data belonging to cab drivers.

The authority found that Uber had not laid out the terms and conditions for retaining drivers’ personal data, including how long the company would hold such data. The DPA also said the process of facilitating drivers to request access to their personal data was unnecessarily complicated.

A Data Privacy Framework developed last year brought to an end three years of legal headaches for tech giants. CCIA’s Head of Policy Alexandre Roure, says the decision by the Dutch DPA ignores reality.

“The busiest internet route in the world could not simply be put on hold for three entire years while governments worked to establish a new legal framework for these data flows,” he said.

CCIA is a tech industry association of which Uber is a member. Companies that violate the EU’s GDPR law can be fined up to 4% of their annual global revenue.

The post Dutch Regulator Fines Uber for Violating Data Privacy appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to Reuters, the European Commission revised proposed tariffs on imported Chinese-manufactured EVs. Tesla’s Chinese made EVs low tariff rate has provoked retaliation from Beijing.

The EU’s Tesla EV tax cut decision comes barely two months after the region imposed high tariffs on EV imports from China. The EU cited unfair subsidies that benefit Chinese EV makers and disadvantage EU manufacturers.

Level Subsidies

Tesla operates a factory close to Berlin. However, it exports most of the cars it manufactures in China to the European market. The company had asked the EU to recalculate its tariff rates which were initially set at 20.8%.

Early this week, the European Commission headed to this request and reduced the rates downwards to 9%. In addition to this rate, Tesla must pay the current 10% duty on all EV imports. But the total tariff is well below the 36.3% maximum that’s levied on other Chinese manufacturers.

According to the Commission, the tariff reflects the subsidy level that Tesla received in China.

“The Commission verified the information during a visit to China and conducted the same checks as of the other sampled Chinese exporting producers,” the Commission said in a statement.

Surprising Move

Rhodium Group’s senior analyst, Gregor Sebastian expressed surprise at Tesla’s 9% additional tariff rate. He cited local loans that the EV maker received from the government in Shanghai and the subsidized batteries from CATL, the Chinese battery maker.

“It’s tricky to make a strong argument here without seeing all the inputs and methodology the Commission used,” he added.

Speaking to CNN, Sebastian said the duty will be negative for Tesla. But unlike SAIC, it will give the EV maker some breathing space. SAIC owns the iconic MG vehicle brand. It’s China’s state-owned EV maker and Tesla’s main competitor in Europe.

High Tariffs

SAIC has been slapped with a 36.3% non-cooperating tariff and EV company, Geely, was hit with a 19.3% additional tariff. Chinese EV company BYD must pay 17% in additional tariffs to export EVs to the EU. BYD and Tesla are fighting for the largest EV battery seller title. Last year, BYD beat Tesla in EV battery production.

The Commission said these duties are slightly lower compared to those that had been proposed in June. This change was a result of inputs from EV makers and thorough investigations. Chinese car makers that have entered into joint ventures with EU manufacturers could benefit from the EU’s lower tax on Chinese EVs that have now been set at 21.3%.

On Tuesday, the Commerce Ministry in China strongly opposed the EU’s ruling on Tesla Chinese-made EVs and expressed deep concerns. In a statement released by the Ministry, China termed EU investigation findings as distorted.

The ministry said it would “resolutely defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”

BYD Competition

The price of Tesla’s Model 3 rose by 4% when initial EU tariffs took effect last month. Even with the price hike, Model 3 was still cheaper than BYD’s Seal in the European market. The latest EU tax cut on Chinese-made EVs will make Model 3 cheaper.

“Now, with Tesla’s additional tariff being reduced, Model 3 will remain competitive with other Chinese-made EVs in Europe,” Automotive Research Analyst George Whitcombe told CNN.

Even with the high additional tariffs, BYD has not hiked the prices of its EVs in Europe.

“BYD has a much better ability to absorb these additional duties because production costs are much lower compared to their prices in Europe,” Sebastian said.

BYD could also grow exports of plug-in hybrid EVs that Tesla does not manufacture, This will allow it to circumvent the tariffs that currently apply only to battery EVs. Last month, BYD signed a deal to set up an EV plant in Turkey. This move could see it avoid EU tariffs altogether.

The post EU Reduces Tariffs On Chinese-Made Tesla EVs appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to CNBC, the new technology has already been integrated into Waymo’s Geely Zeekr electric vehicles.

Market Entry

Waymo introduced its commercial robotaxi service to the US market back in 2018. Previously, the EV maker has integrated its driverless technology into the electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Minivans.

The company says that its generation 6 technology will hit the EV market sooner than its prior technologies due to its advanced semiconductor performance and machine learning technology.

“We are confident we can bring this generation to market much faster than the prior generation,” Waymo’s VP for Engineering, Satish Jeyachandran said.

Scaling Waymo One

As its executives share details about the forthcoming generation 6 technology, the company continues to scale its current Waymo One technology across cities like Austin, Los Angeles, Texas, San Francisco, and Phoenix.

Since its inception, Alphabet owned Waymo robotaxis have successfully completed over 2 million trips. Currently, Waymo offers about 50,000 paid autonomous trips each week in Phoenix and San Francisco. Two months ago, the EV maker announced that it was making driverless rides available to any user in San Francisco.

Alphabet announced last month that it would invest an additional $5 billion in Waymo.

According to Jeyachandran, the new investment will enable the EV maker to scale its operations. This includes increasing its fleet once it completes the testing and validation of Generation 6 robotaxi Waymo technology.

New Features

The EV maker anticipates that Geely Zeekr and the Waymo Jaguar I-PACE will coexist. It is expected that the new Waymo Zeekr will have similar footprints as the current Waymo I-Pace SUVs.

The only difference is that the Zeekr comes with a more accessible interior that features more legroom, a high ceiling, and a low step. Waymo has been developing custom software and sensors including radar and lidar that give the Zeekr a 360 view of the obstacles it needs to identify and avoid. The improved sensors come with wipers for clearing precipitation and dirt.

The Zeekr is set to become Waymo’s less expensive tech robotaxi. In an effort to reduce the cost of running each robotaxi, Waymo has reduced the number of cameras in the car from 29 to 13. The Zeekr comes with four lidar sensors.

Little Competition

Waymo is already testing the Generation 6 robotaxi on public roads with drivers on board. Testing and validation work is currently underway in New York, Detroit, and Buffalo. These diverse environments will help Waymo understand how the robotaxis will perform in varying weather and traffic settings.

Although Waymo has been grappling with driverless taxi crashes, it currently faces little competition in the US. Locally, GM’s Cruise faced challenges that forced it to temporarily pull its driverless cars off the road while Tesla recently pushed plans to launch its dedicated autonomous vehicles to October.

The post Waymo Unveils New Driverless Technology for Robotaxis appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Lime’s global fleet of ebikes and scooters currently stands at about 200,000 units. According to Yahoo Finance, the company unveiled its ride service in densely populated areas in Tokyo. These include Shinjuku, Shibuya, Setagaya, and Meguro wards.

Starting Small

Lime enters Japan’s market barely a month after unveiling ebikes for women. The company is getting into the Asian country with about 200 electric scooters and over 40 recharging ports. Tokyo-based ebike startup, Luup controls over 90% of the local market in terms of ride mileage. Luup already runs 9,100 recharging ports in the company.

Lime now has around 200 electric scooters and more than 40 recharging ports. Tokyo-based Luup, which controls more than 90% of the domestic market in terms of ride mileage, operates 9,100 ports.

“We’re starting small. We want to grow slowly with the city and really earn the trust of local regulators and city officials,” Wayne Ting, Lime’s Chief Executive Officer said.

The entry of the Uber backed escooter startup into the Japanese market is a strong indication that Japan is accepting the ride sharing economy. The country softened its stand following lengthy discussions between regulators, Luup, the police, and local governments.

Tough Restrictions

Contrary to other jurisdictions, Japan’s ebike market is experiencing growth. Cities in other countries are experiencing slowdowns due to outright bans and tough restrictions. For years, the Japanese government went slow on allowing shared e-scooter rides and stonewalled sharing economy startups like Airbnb and Uber.

This stand has since changed. Instead, the Japanese government has developed regulations that require riders to abide by local traffic rules like speed restrictions. The regulations also require e-bike riders to park in designated charging ports.

After setting up the restrictions, the country passed traffic laws last year. The new laws eliminated license and helmet requirements for e-scooter users. The regulatory and legal changes paved the way for ebike growth.

Compliance

Lime’s entry into Japan was largely incentivized by the country’s emobility framework. In 2022, the ebike startup pulled out of the South Korean market due to a lack of regulatory clarity which led to intense competition.

“The last thing we want to do is grow too fast and make you feel like it’s a nuisance. Our intention over time is to grow throughout the Tokyo metropolitan area, and potentially even look at broader Japanese opportunities,” Ting added.

Lime negotiated with officials from the Japanese government and partners to comply with local regulations and set up recharging ports. The entire process took about a year. The company also modified its scooters to include turn signals. It also installed slower riding modes, repositioned the bells, and adjusted the handlebar to make it shorter.

The post eBike Startup Lime Expands to Japanese Market appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Shares of the California-based EV company dropped by 4% following the Rivian vans production halt announcement. The drop reflects investor concerns due to the current supply chain disruption.

Missed Production

Rivian paused production of Amazon delivery vans early this month. The company manufactures the vans from its plant in Normal, Illinois.

The company expects to recover production losses despite the Rivian EV parts shortage. However, it did not provide specific timelines within which this will be achieved.

“A part shortage has temporarily impacted our Electric Delivery Van (EDV) production. We expect to recover all missed production,” a Rivian spokesperson said in a statement.

Only production of Amazon delivery vans has been affected by the part shortage. Rivian continues to produce other EV vehicles, including the R1T pickup and R1S SUV.

Amazon had placed an order for 100,000 electric vans. The order is to be delivered by the year 2030. 15,000 Amazon EV delivery vans are already in service. Amazon is aware of Rivian’s production halt and does not expect it to affect its order.

Supply Challenges

The recent production halt isn’t the only supply chain challenge that Rivian is facing. Like other electric vehicle manufacturers, the company has been grappling with a range of issues for the last two years as a result of supplier shortages. In April this year, the EV maker closed temporarily for retooling.

Rivian hasn’t disclosed information on the specific parts it’s missing and the supplier in question. However, the current production halt highlights the wider challenges facing the EV industry. These challenges cause manufacturers to grapple with semiconductor shortages and other supply chain problems.

Large Investor

Amazon is Rivian’s largest investor. The e-commerce giant holds a 16% stake in the EV company. Amazon-related sales constituted 19% of Rivian’s total revenue in 2023. Early this year, Rivian sustained its production targets. It however said its current quarter deliveries would be lower due to the temporary shutdown it had in April.

The post EV Parts Shortage Forces Manufacturer to Suspend Production appeared first on Tech Research Online.

The two companies said they will incentivize Uber drivers to switch to electric vehicles. Some of the incentives the companies will be offering include discounted charging, maintenance, leasing, and financing.

Multi-Year Agreement

The Uber BYD EV deal involved signing of a multi-year agreement between the two companies. The agreement provides for a phased roll-out plan of EV cars by Uber. In the first phase, Uber will focus on the European and Latin America countries.

Phase two will see the ride hailing company introduce EV taxis in the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The Chinese giant EV deal comes at a time when electric vehicle sales have dipped globally. However, a recent report showed that BYD could beat Tesla in EV battery production and sales this year.

Ownership Cost

In a statement released by the two companies, the Uber EV deal with the Chinese giant will make it easier for Uber drivers to own electric vehicles.

“The companies aim to bring down the total cost of EV ownership for Uber drivers, accelerating the uptake of EVs on the Uber platform globally, and introducing millions of riders to greener rides,” the two firms said.

Additionally, the two firms will work on integrating BYD’s self-driving technologies into Uber’s platform.

Challenge with Tariffs

Early this year, Uber announced that it was partnering with Tesla to boost EV adoption among its taxi drivers within the U.S. The taxi-hailing company also planned to partner with South Korean vehicle manufacturer Kia to develop a purpose-built electric vehicle.

The BYD Uber deal happened at a time when Chinese EV makers are facing higher import charges in the European Union and the U.S to protect their car industries. This move prompted Chinese EV manufacturers to establish production facilities outside China.

Rapid Expansion

Last month, BYD announced that it would be establishing a $1 billion manufacturing plant in Turkey. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 150,000 EV vehicles. It is expected to create 5,000 jobs with production scheduled to commence by the end of 2026. BYD also opened an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Thailand with the same production capacity.

The Thailand plant, which is the first in South-East Asia, is expected to create 10,000 jobs. Besides these plants, BYD already announced plans to set up the first passenger vehicle factory in Europe.

This factory, which will be located in Hungary will enable BYD to sell electric vehicles within the EU without paying additional tariffs. Backed by Warren Buffet, BYD is the second-largest electric vehicle in the world after Tesla.

The post BYD Set to Enter Ride-Hailing Space in New Uber Deal appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to Electrek, the new designs were developed based on feedback from older and women riders. Lime used this feedback to make the new models inclusive and easier to operate.

“Building on Lime’s experience of designing its own hardware, the LimeGlider is a brand-new seated vehicle built without pedals for an effortless ride,” the company said.

Unique Features

The LimeGlider has a bicycle-like frame that gives it a bike look. But it’s fitted with eschews bike pedals that serve as static platforms for riders to place their feet.

This feature gives it a moped-style ride or makes it appear like a seated scooter. Without the pedals, the LimeGlider relies on throttles, such as those in Class 2 electric bicycles and electric scooters. This allows riders to glide effortlessly.

“The LimeGlider and LimeBike offer a glimpse at the future of micro-mobility, designed with a wider rider audience in mind to help us draw closer to our mission of building a future where transportation is shared, affordable and carbon-free,” Wayne Ting, Lime CEO said.

The LimeGlider comes with wider tires and a smaller diameter. This gives the ebike a lower center of gravity. It’s more comfortable for riders with a small stature. The step-through frame allows women riders to mount and ride the bike with ease when wearing a skirt.

High-Volume Bike Baskets

Lime has installed new higher-volume baskets on both LimeBike and LimeGlider ebikes. The company described the new baskets as wider, and more ideal for shopping errands.

“These improvements cater to feedback from groups traditionally underrepresented in Lime’s active riders, including women and older riders,” the company said.

The LimeBike also comes with wider wheels but adopts a more conventional bicycle frame. It features functional pedals and a height-adjusting saddle. Lime chose a deep step-through frame for this bike as well. This makes it easier to mount and ride compared to the high-top tube bike.

North American Fun

For riders in North America who prefer throttle-enabled ebikes, the LimeBike would be more ideal. Featuring both pedal assist and throttle, the bike allows lime electric bike women riders to decide whether or not to pedal.

“We’ve reimagined every touchpoint, from the tires to the phone holder, to make our riders feel comfortable and confident as they ride. We can’t wait to learn more from our pilots this summer as we continue our track-record of stellar in-house design and truly differentiated hardware,” Ting added.

Both models come with sliding phone holders and ergonomic hand grips that allow riders to keep their music or navigation apps running on their phones.

The post Leading EV Firm, Lime Unveils New eBikes for Women appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Determining the best fleet management KPIs to improve your company’s logistics is crucial. By fleet KPIs, we refer to the key performance indicators that affect the smooth running of operations. Fleet management optimization is about improving the essential telematics data if you know the fleet KPIs to target.

This article defines fleet management KPIs and explains the performance metrics for overall efficiency, cost-effectiveness, safety, and customer satisfaction. Whether your company has a few trucks or a large garage of vehicles, the strategy is to identify the correct KPIs for fleet management.

What Are Fleet Management KPIs?

KPIs for fleet management are the Key Performance Indicators that function as measurable metrics to evaluate progress. For fleet management, these KPIs will refer to the quantifiable values by which the company can assess its overall vehicle tracking systems. It is impossible to measure the effectiveness of your vehicle maintenance and driver management policies without fleet KPIs.

Importance of KPIs for Fleet Management

The next questions that might pop up are- how do KPIs help with fleet management? What does a company gain from gathering and analyzing fleet management metrics?
The advantages of KPIs for fleet management in any organization include:

• Fleet efficiency indicators
• Operational cost management
• Proper vehicle utilization
• Enhanced safety and compliance tracking
• Higher customer satisfaction scores
• Driver behavior analytics
• Data-driven decisions

4 Fleet KPIs to Target for Improved Performance Metrics

Now that we understand the importance of KPIs for fleet management, let’s check out the top telematics data to target. We have classified fleet management KPIs into four as listed below:

• Efficiency KPIs
• Safety and driver behavior KPIs
• Operational cost management KPIs
• Customer satisfaction KPIs

1. Efficiency KPIs for Fleet Management

These refer to the fleet management KPIs to measure the effectiveness of your vehicle tracking systems, asset management, and downtime analysis.

• Fleet Utilization Rate

This efficiency fleet KPI involves analyzing telematics data on the effective usage of your vehicle. The fleet utilization rate is a percentage of the expected capacity or maximum functionality. One method is to set your fleet management KPIs dashboard to track idle and active usage times to prevent underutilization or excessive usage.

How do you calculate fleet utilization rate?

Fleet utilization rate (%) = (Total working hours used/ Total working hours available) x 100

For a group of company delivery trucks operating an average of 8 hours out of 24 hours daily, the fleet KPI for utilization rate is 33.33%. The fleet utilization rate for a company’s freight and logistics could also be a load-based formula that compares the maximum load capacity to the average load. A 50-ton capacity truck that delivers 25-ton goods operates at a 50% fleet utilization rate.

• Fuel Economy

Fuel economy is the average distance a fleet travels per unit of fuel. Otherwise known as fuel efficiency or gas mileage, it is usually represented in miles per gallon (MPG) or kilometers per liter (km/L). Fuel economy is one of the most important fleet KPIs to improve vehicle utilization rates.

How do you calculate fuel economy for fleet management metrics?

Fuel economy = Total distance covered/Total gallons or liters consumed

Some common factors that can influence your calculated fuel economy are:

• The vehicle’s model
• Route optimization
• Drivers behaviors
• Fleet utilization rate based on load
• Routine maintenance checks

• Fleet Preventive Maintenance

The efficiency KPIs for fleet management also include the preventive maintenance compliance of your vehicles and trucks. This fleet KPI measures adherence to scheduled maintenance arrangements. Hence, preventive fleet maintenance compliance is the percentage of completed maintenance to the total scheduled tasks.

Preventive maintenance compliance = (Completed preventive maintenance tasks / Total scheduled preventive maintenance tasks) x 100

Imagine a company that completed 45 out of its scheduled 50 preventive maintenance. The compliance tracking percentage is calculated as 90%. High percentage KPIs for fleet maintenance meet manufacturer recommendations and minimize vehicle breakdown. We suggest you have fleet management software to monitor maintenance routines such as brake inspections, tire rotations, coolant, and fluid checks.

• Fleet Downtime Analysis

The average downtime of your vehicles or trucks is one of the important fleet management KPIs to track. Low vehicle downtimes signify your fleets are available almost all the time which is essential for timely deliveries and increased productivity.

On the other hand, having high downtimes on your fleet management KPIs dashboard indicates you need better preventive maintenance measures. Another solution is investing in more quality vehicle parts to minimize downtimes.

2. Safety and Driver Behavior KPIs for Fleet Management

These fleet management KPIs are quantifiable measures to evaluate safety incidents and accident rates. They help you track driver behaviors, road safety compliance, speeding, acceleration, and braking

• Safety Incidents and Accident Rates

Proper safety incidents and accident rates reporting on your fleet management KPIs dashboard reduce repair costs and legal penalties. It also promotes a safety culture among fleet drivers and minimizes downtimes.

Safety incidents cover near misses, equipment failures, or violations of safety protocols. Accident rates KPIs for fleet management are to track the frequency of accidents per million miles/kilometers driven and compare to regulated industry standards.

• Driver Behavior and Safety Scores

Our next KPIs for fleet management are the driver behavior and safety score metrics. These fleet KPIs use GPS and advanced telematics systems to measure your drivers’ average speeding, accelerating, and braking behaviors. Implementing sensor monitoring systems to get real-time data on vehicle movement helps identify risk patterns that could cause accidents. Studying driver behavior and safety scores is the use of a fleet management KPIs dashboard to take proactive safety steps.

3. Operational Cost Management KPIs for Fleet Management

Cost management KPIs for fleet management function as performance metrics to track the running costs of your vehicles. The following fleet KPIs assist managers in identifying possible cost-minimization opportunities without affecting quality deliveries.

• Fleet Administrative Costs

Fleet management KPIs for administrative cost optimization involve the overall expenses to manage and control the vehicles. That includes labor costs, training and development, insurance and licensing, to ensure budget compliance. Every cash spent on fleet utilization and efficiency must be compared to the respective ROI.

• Cost Per Mile

One of the fleet management KPIs for the cost-effectiveness of your vehicle logistics is the cost per mile. This fleet KPI evaluates the total cost incurred for every mile traveled. It is an important performance metric to discover optimization strategies to minimize expenses per trip.

How do you calculate the cost per mile?

Cost per mile = Total fleet operational costs for a fixed duration / Total miles driven for that duration

The expenses involved in this operation cost management include fuel, maintenance, insurance, driver, and administrative costs. Depreciation is another often overlooked component of the total operation costs for your fleet KPIs. Implementing a fleet management KPIs dashboard to track cost per mile can help with route optimization strategies.

• Vehicle Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Cost-related KPIs for fleet management also involve understanding how to calculate the true value of a vehicle. We term this the vehicle’s total cost of ownership defined as the entire cost of procurement and operation over its lifecycle.

Let’s take an illustration:

A fleet manager has to purchase one of two vehicles A and B. For vehicle A, the selling price is lower than B, but higher fuel consumption and maintenance costs. Calculating the total cost of ownership over a fixed duration of about five years will give vehicle B better cost-effectiveness. Despite the lower purchasing price, vehicle A will have higher accumulated operating costs over the fixed duration.

4. Customer Satisfaction KPIs for Fleet Management

Most managers set up their fleet management KPIs dashboard to assess performance metrics involving efficiency, cost, safety, and driver behavior. However, many overlook the importance of customer satisfaction KPIs for fleet management such as:

• Delivery Rates

The delivery rate is a key performance indicator (KPI) for fleet managers to measure the effectiveness and reliability of their good and service dispatch methods. Delivery times as fleet management metrics help you discover how many times the customers received products upon agreed schedules.

On-time delivery rate = Number of On-time deliveries/ Total number of deliveries

The advantage of fleet KPIs is in their complementary statistics. For instance, a low delivery rate could signify the following:

• Poor route optimization
• Lack of routine vehicle maintenance
• Poor driver behaviors
• Ineffective communication systems for customers who value timely service.

Delivery rates are a critical KPI for fleet management metrics to get higher customer satisfaction and competitive advantage.

• Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSAT)

Customer satisfaction score is a popular fleet management metric to measure customer feedback on goods or services rendered. Higher scores serve as fleet KPIs to indicate greater satisfaction and compliance with service level agreements (SLA).

How do you calculate customer satisfaction scores?

CSAT = (Number of satisfied feedback) / (Total number of feedback) x 100

This fleet management KPI is important because a good delivery time is not always adequate since some customers might have issues with the overall experience. An example is poor communication during dispatch even with an on-time delivery. Delivery accuracy is another factor that can affect CSAT.

Conclusion:

Fleet management KPIs are related, providing a comprehensive optimization system affected by the different performance metrics. The efficiency fleet KPIs influence cost management, which also impacts the customer satisfaction KPIs. Similarly, driver behavior and safety will affect cost optimization analysis, and ultimately the customer experience.

Determining the best KPIs for fleet management depends on identifying those that align with the company’s objectives. The top KPIs assist managers with data-driven decisions, improving the quality of fleet operations, and maintaining a strong competitive edge. Leverage the fleet KPIs that ensure smooth and efficient operations today.

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