Australian fleets are making steady progress in adopting technology, but many organisations are still operating with disconnected systems and reactive processes, according to Ross Perry, Chief Revenue Officer at Autograb.
Perry says most fleets have implemented basic digital tools to manage vehicles, yet the way these technologies are applied varies widely depending on fleet management maturity.
“In your view, where do most Australian fleets sit on the fleet-management maturity curve when it comes to using technology to improve compliance and operational efficiency?”
Perry explains that many organisations sit somewhere in the middle of the maturity spectrum.
“Most Australian fleets currently sit in what we would describe as a ‘functional but fragmented’ middle ground,” he said. “They typically have the core building blocks in place like telematics, maintenance systems and basic compliance tools but those technologies often operate in isolation rather than as part of an integrated strategy.”
He noted that technology is often implemented to meet minimum compliance obligations rather than to deliver measurable improvements in utilisation, productivity or risk reduction.
“High-maturity fleets remain the minority and are generally larger organisations or those with strong safety, procurement or ESG mandates that justify deeper investment,” Perry said.
Safety and compliance drove technology adoption in 2025
Reflecting on trends during 2025, Perry observed strong growth in technologies focused on safety, compliance and operational monitoring.
“An observation in 2025, was acceleration in safety and compliance technologies, including telematics, driver monitoring and digital inspection tools, largely driven by regulator, insurer and workplace health and safety pressures,” he said.
However, the way fleets used these tools often reflected their organisational maturity.
Lower-maturity fleets tended to adopt technology reactively, particularly in areas such as maintenance. According to Perry, these organisations often addressed issues only after failures occurred.
In contrast, more advanced operators were increasingly moving toward predictive and condition-based servicing models designed to reduce downtime and improve cost control.
“Most fleets were collecting utilisation data, but some struggled to act on it,” Perry said. “More advanced operators used those insights to right-size fleets and optimise replacement cycles.”
Change management remains the biggest barrier
Despite the growing availability of digital tools, Perry believes the biggest challenge for fleets is not technology itself but the process of embedding it into everyday operations.
“The single biggest barrier observed was change management,” he said.
Perry explained that many transformation projects stall because frontline teams are concerned about disruption or additional workload.
“Technology adoption often stalled at the frontline, where driver and operational manager buy-in is critical, and the perceived cost and disruption of change created resistance,” he said.
Another common issue is the volume of data being collected.
“Many fleets also experienced data overload,” Perry said. “They were capturing vast amounts of information but lacked the internal capability or processes to convert that data into meaningful insight.”
Integration and AI expected to shape 2026
Looking ahead, Perry expects fleets to focus on integrating systems and extracting greater value from the data they already collect.
“Heading into 2026, we expect fleet teams to place far greater emphasis on integrating their data ecosystems, reducing reliance on disconnected systems and manual reporting,” he said.
This shift is also being driven by stronger expectations from executive teams and boards.
“There’s growing pressure from boards and executives to clearly demonstrate return on investment,” Perry said. “Fleet leaders will need to quantify improvements in risk reduction, cost savings and productivity.”
He also expects technologies such as automation and AI-driven analytics to become a more normal part of fleet management systems.
“AI-driven insights and automation are likely to move from being seen as optional or experimental to becoming essential capabilities for high-performing fleets seeking a competitive edge,” Perry said.
Data-driven fleet management emerging
According to Perry, the fleets that stand out in the coming years will be those that move beyond compliance reporting and embed technology into daily operational decisions.
“The fleets that stand out in 2026 will be those that embed technology directly into daily workflows rather than treating it as a reporting layer or a compliance checkbox,” he said.
These organisations are more likely to adopt predictive decision-making across areas such as maintenance scheduling, asset replacement and risk management.
“Mature operations will make proactive, predictive decisions, particularly around maintenance scheduling, replacement cycles and risk,” Perry said.
He also sees the role of the Fleet Manager continuing to evolve.
“Fleet Managers will operate as strategic partners within their organisations, using data to inform procurement, influence operational planning and support executive decision-making,” he said.
To support this shift toward data-driven management, Autograb is preparing to release a new tool aimed at improving visibility of vehicle values and fleet health.
Perry said that providing regular and current market valuations can help fleet teams move away from reactive decision-making.
“With Portfolio, operators can finally make proactive, data-driven decisions — not reactive, retrospective ones,” he said.
As fleets face rising cost pressures, evolving technology and increasing compliance expectations, Perry believes organisations that integrate data and embed technology into operational processes will be best placed to adapt.
