Fleet managers expect AI and electric vehicles to have biggest impact on fleet management in the coming years

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – The majority (58%) of fleet managers expect to be using AI within the next five years, a new global study to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Webfleet has found.

The research, commissioned by Bridgestone’s globally trusted fleet management solution, was conducted among 1,800 fleet managers across 15 countries to shed light on the current and future landscape of fleet digitization. The findings show that fleets plan to increase their investment in digital fleet solutions in future and indicate significant planned adoption related to AI and EV technologies.

“The move towards digital solutions, including AI, is no surprise to us and a clear indication of where the future of fleet management is headed,” said Jan-Maarten de Vries, President Fleet Management Solutions at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions.

“Our study reaffirms the critical role that digital fleet solutions play in increasing fleet efficiency, reducing costs and enhancing driver and vehicle safety. It’s clear that investment in these technologies will only continue to grow.”

91% of fleet managers expect to increase their investment in digital fleet technologies over the next five years.
More than half of fleet managers (52%) cited improvements in efficiency and reduced operational costs as the most compelling reason for investing in digital solutions.
49% of fleet managers highlighted enhanced driver and vehicle safety as top reason to invest in fleet management technology.

AI, Machine Learning and EVs are viewed as the technologies that will have the biggest impact on the future of fleet management.

32% of fleet managers said AI and machine learning will have the biggest impact on fleet management in the next years, closely followed by electric vehicles (30%).
23% of fleet managers are already using AI today and 35% plan to in the next five years. Nearly all respondents confirm that AI will have a significant impact on fleet management in future, with 62% of respondents expecting AI to optimize route planning and logistics, 56% believe it will improve driver safety and 55% to enhance predictive maintenance and asset management.
Only 21% of fleet managers indicated apprehension about how AI will change their working day, with the main concerns relating to process integration (53%) and data privacy and security (49%).
Fleet managers confirm that electric vehicles are the future for commercial fleets with EV adoption only increasing in the coming years:

85% of fleet managers expect the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in their fleet to expand in the coming five years.
Among those that say their vehicle mix will evolve, there’s an expectation that the amount of EV and hybrid vehicles will almost double – going up from 37% currently to 63% of the fleet by 2029.
“Artificial Intelligence and electric vehicles are transformative technologies that will continue to enhance fleet management. At Webfleet, we’re pioneering these technologies to ease adoption for fleets, always with a commitment to improved safety, sustainability, productivity, and efficiency,” De Vries concluded.

Webfleet will celebrate its 25 years of telematics innovation at the IAA Transportation held from 17 to 22 September in Hanover, Germany, showcasing its new AI Assistant at the Bridgestone Fleet Care booth in Hall 12, C54 and the Webfleet Booth in Hall 25, B60. As part of Bridgestone Fleet Care, Webfleet will demonstrate how integrating its comprehensive fleet management solution with Bridgestone tires, tire technologies, and service solutions enable smarter, more connected fleet decisions to drive sustainability, safety, efficiency, and productivity.