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, Webfleet, was conducted among 1,800 fleet managers across 15 countries including South Africa to shed light on the current and future landscape of fleet digitisation^[1]. 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.”

Vast majority of fleet managers want to invest more in digitisation

• 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.

“In South Africa, 98% of fleet managers expect their investment in digital fleet solutions to increase over the next five years with only 2% planning to maintain their current digital solutions. This shows that South African fleet managers are willing to go the extra mile and invest in fleet digitalisation, reflecting a strong belief in its benefits,” said Justin Manson, Sales Director at Webfleet South Africa.

AI and EVs expected to have most significant impact on fleet management in future

AI, EVs and machine learning 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 optimise 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%).

In line with the 32% of global fleet managers who think AI and machine learning will have the biggest impact on fleet management, 35% of fleet managers in South Africa agree with this perspective, with 31% believing EV will have the biggest impact on fleet management.

Fleet managers confirm that EVs are the future for commercial fleets, with EV adoption set to increase 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.

With the rapid expansion of EVs in South Africa, 88% of fleet managers expect their vehicle mix to change in the next five years, with an increase in hybrid and fully electric vehicles becoming more prominent in their fleets. Additionally, 43% plan to have a fully autonomous vehicle in their fleet within the next five years.

“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 recently celebrated its 25 years of telematics innovation at the IAA Transportation held 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 demonstrated how integrating its comprehensive fleet management solution with Bridgestone tyres, tyre technologies, and service solutions enables smarter, more connected fleet decisions to drive sustainability, safety, efficiency and productivity.

^[1] The research was conducted by the market research agency OnePoll, with a sample of 1,800 fleet managers and business owners overseeing fleets of seven or more vehicles. 40% of the respondents have mainly LCVs (Vans) in their fleet, 40% HGVs (trucks), 20% passenger cars and 1% other type of vehicles. The study was conducted online from 18 April to 2 May 2024 in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, The Netherlands, USA, UK, Belgium, Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Colombia, and UAE.