Unexpected vehicle downtime of commercial vehicles is an expensive frustration for businesses at any time of the year, but that problem is magnified in winter when demand for LCVs is typically at its highest. In a year where ongoing fuel and driver shortages continue to bite, it’s never been more important for businesses to ensure their vehicles are in peak condition.
With unplanned downtime of LCVs costing businesses an average of £800 per day, investing in technology that gives fleet managers total insight into vehicular health makes sound commercial sense.
Recognising the importance of harnessing that data was the key impetus behind Trakm8, the UK’s leading vehicle technology specialist, launching its Connectedcare package. Connectedcare is a one-stop solution that provides advanced vehicle status and health data insights to vehicle and plant OEMs, alongside leasing or hire companies, ensuring vehicles are better maintained and, ultimately, are delivering maximum return on investment.
Via deep CANbus connectivity, Connectedcare enables fleet managers to gain remote access to readings directly from the dashboard or instrument cluster. These include diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) and dashboard warning lights from fleet vehicles through easy to use web portals and mobile apps.
Among the key insights Connectedcare delivers for fleet managers is real-time vehicle health updates. Capturing this data from fleet vehicles enables trend analysis, allowing for the identification of common faults within vehicles before they become critical, helping businesses to take a more proactive, preventative approach to vehicle maintenance – ultimately keeping key assets running for longer.
Other key features of Connectedcare include battery status alerts. A flat or faulty battery is one of the most common causes of unplanned vehicle downtime, so Trakm8 has specially configured its Connectedcare solution to run a series of checks that provide in-depth feedback on the health of a battery, helping transport managers ascertain whether a vehicle’s battery is defective or needs replacing.
Connectedcare can also help fleets take a proactive approach to AdBlue monitoring, with in-bult alerts for when diesel particulate filters need cleaning or AdBlue levels are too low.
Jim Hill, Marketing Director at Trakm8, explains: “With the onset of winter and all of the road challenges that brings, not to mention continued fuel and driver shortages, businesses will be looking for ways in which they can keep their fleets moving.
“With our Connectedcare solution, we are providing the industry with a ‘one-stop shop’ approach to vehicle maintenance, giving fleet managers the data rich insights they need to keep their assets on the road and delivering maximum ROI.
“We can provide Connectedcare as both a standalone product, or as part of a broader telematics provision. At a time when vehicle maintenance has never been more critical, we are looking to empower fleet managers to make informed decisions on the running of their fleet, ultimately affording them total peace of mind.”
