Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the fleet industry, but according to the presenters at the AfMA Summit, the technology is not designed to replace Fleet Managers. Instead, it is removing administration and data analysis so fleet professionals can spend more time making strategic decisions.
Introducing the Solutions Spotlight session, AfMA President Eden Shirley (and Founder and Managing Director at FleetGuru.ai) said the conference deliberately focused on emerging technologies that are reshaping fleet management rather than incremental software updates.
“Technology is very close to my heart,” Shirley told delegates. “In my new role as president, I want to make sure that technology is a big part of this conference.”
Rather than showcasing established platforms, Shirley selected companies working in artificial intelligence, connected vehicles and innovative mobility models to demonstrate where the industry is heading.
From Data Collection to Decision Making
Opening the first presentation, Darren Gore, Managing Director at Summit Fleet Leasing and Management, explained that artificial intelligence is moving beyond simple reporting tools and becoming an accessible decision-support system for organisations.
“We’re very excited today this afternoon to share with you the journey of an AI fleet data analyst,” Gore said.
“Over the next 10 minutes, we’ll share with you what can be achieved, and particularly in the areas of improving efficiency, supporting sustainability and enhancing safety and risk management.”
Importantly, Gore said these capabilities are no longer reserved for data specialists.
“These tools are being developed and can be in the hands of anyone in an organisation who is going to want to interrogate fleet operations and related data.”
Instead of requiring technical skills or complex reporting software, users can simply ask questions using natural language and receive practical recommendations based on thousands of fleet transactions.
Fleet Managers Become Strategic Advisors
The demonstration showed AI identifying opportunities to reduce maintenance costs, improve utilisation, optimise fuel efficiency and generate sustainability and safety reports in minutes.
Rather than spending hours producing spreadsheets and dashboards, fleet managers are able to focus on implementing improvements and influencing organisational strategy.
That shift is exactly why Shirley believes emerging technologies deserve greater attention within the fleet industry.
“The whole purpose of this session is to showcase either industry first or emerging technology,” he said.
The goal is to expose fleet professionals to ideas that can fundamentally change the way they work rather than simply automate existing processes.
Technology Is Creating More Value, Not Less
The message throughout the session was that artificial intelligence expands the influence of fleet teams rather than diminishing it.
By reducing time spent analysing information, fleet managers can spend more time collaborating with finance teams, sustainability managers, operational leaders and executives to improve business outcomes.
Gore described AI as a tool that enables organisations to interrogate fleet operations faster and with greater confidence, producing actionable insights that improve efficiency, sustainability and safety.
The technology effectively becomes an additional team member capable of analysing thousands of transactions and presenting recommendations in an easy-to-understand format, allowing fleet professionals to concentrate on policy, implementation and organisational change.
Keeping a Finger on the Pulse
Shirley concluded the session with a challenge for both suppliers and fleet operators to continue sharing emerging technologies with the wider industry.
“What I’m now calling out to all of you, and anyone that also, you know, if you’re a tech company, if you’re a product company or a supplier that has an innovation, please reach out to me so that we can build a pipeline of emerging technologies for next year.”
He also encouraged fleet practitioners to share technologies already being used successfully within their organisations.
“If you are working in the fleet space, or you’re a fleet management company, or you know of technologies that you’re using that are new and innovative, also feel free to share.”
For Shirley, staying connected with innovation is becoming an essential skill for fleet professionals.
“I think everybody in the room wants to keep a finger on the pulse on what’s happening,” he said. “This focus is not about the big established software companies. This is about the new stuff.”
The message resonated throughout the session: as artificial intelligence takes over repetitive reporting and analysis, the role of the fleet manager is becoming more influential, more collaborative and increasingly strategic than ever before.
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