That’s the overriding finding from a study by MiX Telematics, which has looked into current and future telematics trends within the commercial vehicle industry in the UK, France, Germany and Spain.
Steve Coffin, marketing and operations director for the software firm, says the study clearly shows that telematics has the power to meet a wide range of operational needs, adding: “With the benefits of telematics now firmly established and accepted by Europe’s transport operators, we see the focus gradually shifting to include new applications.”
The study highlighted five key areas in which telematics is playing a greater role.
The growth of the temperature-controlled delivery market, for example, sees telematics being used by cold chain operators to ensure compliance and efficiency – monitoring onboard temperatures with remote sensing, and the frequency and duration of door-opening events.
Telematics is also playing a part in tackling freight theft, with operators using its track and trace capabilities to protect vehicles and loads.
As the construction market picks up across Europe, says MiX, operators are looking to telematics to protect not only their vehicles, but also their construction plant and materials handling equipment.
Fuel theft, too, says the study, is a massive problem across the continent – but telematics is helping here, with fuel level monitors providing system alerts should a fuel tank begin to drain unexpectedly.
And waste management and recycling is big business, says MiX: improving transport efficiency is vital to head off increasing cost pressures for operators, and MiX expects telematics use to expand in this sector through 2016 and beyond.