Touchscreens inside cars are becoming more widespread. Basic automobile physical controls are increasingly being replaced by icons on touchscreens rather than physical buttons.

While utilising a touchscreen is simple and straightforward to use, it does require the user to take their eyes from the road for a little period of time.

This has raised concerns for Euro NCAP, an independent safety authority for the automobile industry that evaluates cars and gives a five-star safety rating system to assist users in comparing vehicles and choose the safest option for their requirements.

As of January 2026, this safety agency will implement new regulations requiring the cars it evaluates to have physical controls for fundamental tasks in order to achieve the maximum five-star safety certification. Cars will need to employ buttons, dials or stalks to control danger warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, SOS calls and the horn.

This will undoubtedly be an issue for many automobile manufacturers, who have gradually included more features on their touchscreen interfaces, not least because they are less expensive to make than conventional buttons and knobs.

“The overuse of touchscreens is an industry-wide problem, with almost every vehicle maker moving key controls onto central touchscreens, obliging drivers to take their eyes off the road and raising the risk of distraction crashes,” said Matthew Avery, director of strategic development at Euro NCAP.

It is not illegal

Although Euro NCAP’s safety criteria are not legally binding, they are strongly supported by various EU governments. Automakers such as Tesla, Volvo, Volkswagen, and BMW take these safety ratings seriously, utilising them to highlight the safety of their products.

Also, while drivers and automobile manufacturers may maintain that touchscreens do not cause distractions, evidence suggests otherwise. According to a research done by the American Automobile Association (AAA), car entertainment systems divert drivers’ eyes and attention away from the road and take their hands off the wheel for potentially dangerous periods of time.

While drivers and automobile manufacturers may maintain that touchscreens do not cause distractions, evidence suggests otherwise. According to a research done by the American Automobile Association (AAA), car entertainment systems divert drivers’ eyes and attention away from the road and take their hands off the wheel for potentially dangerous periods of time.

The rise of touch screens

Some manufacturers, such as Tesla and Volkswagen, have built a reputation for hiding essential car functions behind touch-sensitive interfaces. There are plenty of complaints about such features, but equipment makers continue to promote touchscreen interfaces since they are less expensive to build than conventional buttons and knobs.

Even though Tesla reportedly supports NCAP’s stance, they are taking this one step further with the removal of the indicator and drive selector stalks. There are mounting concerns that cost cutting exercises like this can add to driver distraction. The issue concerns roundabouts. As the wheel rotates and you need to signal to leave the roundabout, the buttons will be near the top of the turn. This will make it more difficult to locate and press the buttons while steering. What do you think?

The study found that drivers who used in-vehicle technology such as voice-activated and touch-screen features were visually and cognitively distracted for more than 40 seconds while completing tasks. According to their findings, taking your eyes from the road for only two seconds increases the danger of a collision.

Driver safety is a key topic for all fleets. Read more about how you can create a driver safety culture. It is essential that however vehicle technology changes and then adapts to new thinking, the driver has to be made aware of any potential risks associated with new vehicles. There has to be a balance between new technology, cost saving exercises, driver convenience and ultimately, safety.

The post New rules could see more physical controls to ensure top safety rating appeared first on Fleet360.

The Cost of Poor Driver Safety

Before we dive into the importance of driver safety training, let’s take a look at the cost of poor driver safety. According to the National Safety Council, motor vehicle crashes cost employers $47.4 billion in direct crash-related expenses in 2019. This includes medical expenses, property damage, and lost productivity. Additionally, there are indirect costs such as increased insurance premiums, legal fees, and damage to your reputation.

Poor driver safety can also result in injury or death to your drivers or other road users. This can have a devastating impact on the affected families and communities, not to mention the emotional toll it can take on your drivers and their colleagues.

The Importance of Driver Safety Training

Now that we’ve established the cost of poor driver safety, let’s explore the importance of driver safety training. Driver safety training is an effective way to reduce the risk of accidents and ensure your drivers are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to operate safely on the road.

Driver safety training can cover a range of topics such as defensive driving techniques, vehicle maintenance, and emergency response. By providing your drivers with this training, you’re not only reducing the risk of accidents but also demonstrating your commitment to their safety and well-being.

The Benefits of Driver Safety Training

So, what are the benefits of driver safety training? Here are just a few:

Reduced Risk of Accidents

The most obvious benefit of driver safety training is a reduced risk of accidents. By equipping your drivers with the knowledge and skills they need to operate safely on the road, you’re reducing the risk of crashes, injuries, and fatalities.

Increased Efficiency

When your drivers are trained in defensive driving techniques and vehicle maintenance, they’re more likely to operate their vehicles efficiently. This means better fuel economy, reduced wear and tear on vehicles, and lower maintenance costs.

Improved Morale

Investing in driver safety training demonstrates your commitment to your drivers’ safety and well-being. This can have a positive impact on morale, leading to increased job satisfaction and retention.

Reduced Costs

As we mentioned earlier, poor driver safety can be costly. By reducing the risk of accidents, you’re also reducing the associated costs such as medical expenses, property damage, and lost productivity.

How to Embrace Driver Safety Training in Your Workflow

Now that you understand the importance and benefits of driver safety training, you may be wondering how to embrace it in your workflow. Here are some steps you can take:

Step 1: Assess Your Current Driver Safety Culture

The first step is to assess your current driver safety culture. How are you currently promoting driver safety? What are your drivers’ attitudes towards safety? Identifying strengths and weaknesses in your current approach will help you determine what areas to focus on.

Step 2: Develop a Comprehensive Safety Program

Once you’ve assessed your current driver safety culture, it’s time to develop a comprehensive safety program. This program should cover all aspects of driver safety, from defensive driving techniques to vehicle maintenance and emergency response.

Step 3: Provide Regular Training and Refresher Courses

Training should be an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Provide regular training and refresher courses to ensure your drivers are up-to-date with the latest safety practices.

Step 4: Set Expectations and Hold Drivers Accountable

It’s important to set expectations and hold drivers accountable for their safety performance. This can include establishing clear safety policies and procedures, providing regular feedback and coaching, and implementing consequences for unsafe behavior.

Step 5: Foster a Culture of Safety

Finally, it’s important to foster a culture of safety within your organization. This means promoting safety as a core value and involving all employees in the effort to improve driver safety. Encourage open communication, reward safe behavior, and make safety a priority at all levels of your organization.

Conclusion

Driver safety training is a critical component of fleet management. By investing in driver safety training, you can reduce the risk of accidents, increase efficiency, improve morale, and reduce costs. To embrace driver safety training in your workflow, assess your current safety culture, develop a comprehensive safety program, provide regular training and refresher courses, set expectations and hold drivers accountable, and foster a culture of safety. Remember, your drivers are your most valuable asset, and their safety should always be a top priority.

The post The Importance of Driver Safety Training in Fleet Management appeared first on Fleet360.

The new channel for fleet related chat…

This new biweekly FleetMeet video series is co-produced by Automotive Fleet and Fleet360 to compare and contrast fleet trends occurring in both Europe and North America. The discussion is co-hosted by Hans Damen, managing partner of Fleet360, who is based in Europe; and Mike Antich, editor, Automotive Fleet magazine, who is based in the U.S. and follows North American fleet market trends in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

FLEETMEET EPISODE #8 – topics include:

0:32 Exploring the implications of ADAS
0:50 European perspective
2:00 North America perspective
2:57 Negative Publicity
4:00 Assisting the driver with limitations
5:20 The cost of ADAS systems and additional maintenance
6:15 ADAS, driver training and awareness
8:27 Driver annoyance by ADAS
10:27 Cost of replacement parts
11:15 It’s about saving lives

Prefer to listen?

MORE ARTICLES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

Email your comments and suggestions for future topics of FleetMeet so we can address them!

The post FleetMeet – The role of ADAS & your fleet strategy appeared first on Fleet360.

The new channel for fleet related chat…

This new biweekly FleetMeet video series is co-produced by Automotive Fleet and Fleet360 to compare and contrast fleet trends occurring in both Europe and North America. The discussion is co-hosted by Hans Damen, managing partner of Fleet360, who is based in Europe; and Mike Antich, editor, Automotive Fleet magazine, who is based in the U.S. and follows North American fleet market trends in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

FLEETMEET EPISODE #5 – topics include:

• Driver safety, take the holistic approach
• Privacy challenges US vs Europe
• ADAS implementation, risk on complacency
• Designing successful driver safety programs
• Distracted driving, the dominant root course of bad statistics
• Are contract extensions also a safety concern?
  

Email your comments and suggestions for future topics of FleetMeet so we can address them!

The post FleetMeet – Is driver safety only about mitigating risk? appeared first on Fleet360.

Recent study suggest that Fleet Risk is not really on the agenda of many fleet owners and 33% don’t have a company vehicle policy in place. Why do such a substantial number of businesses take risks with drivers and their wellbeing?

For many businesses, fleets are seen as an essential activity to fulfilling the company activities. The risks of drivers and potential costs are not always seen. However, the results of poor planning and lack of duty of care are very apparent when things go wrong.

If a company employs a ‘delivery driver’, training is often given for how to handle and carry goods. They are considered professional drivers. If however you have a company car to allow to attend a sales meeting, the driving itself isn’t the job. But if you are driving any distance, should they be considered a professional driver?

Can you afford to avoid Fleet Risk?

Many companies leave issues with the driver to resolve. A 24 hour assistance line is provided and that is that. This is clearly inadequate as responsibility rests with managers and the organisation itself, which can be held liable for driver incidents.

The most obvious risk is that of accidents or breakdowns, and subsequent damage to fleet vehicles. Damage is a direct cost to the organisation and typically results in higher insurance premiums. And, as manufacturers continue to incorporate more technology into vehicles, incidents are becoming more expensive to repair – a trend that is very likely to continue.

Then there’s the more intangible cost of downtime. Unusable vehicles, replacement vehicle costs, rental costs or driver absence due to injury are all factors that need to be considered when considering Fleet Risk.

In the worst case, serious injury or fatality would can also create significant legal challenges. Potential fines or even CEO imprisonment can be levied onto a company due to poor management and / or no defined driver training policy.

Not only that, but a badly run fleet is a bad label to have. No organisation wants to be known as the company that doesn’t care about how their employees drive, whether it’s that they don’t park safely, frequently jump red lights, or simply don’t get where they need to be on time because of regular breakdowns.

Reducing Fleet Risk has to be a fleet priority

Every organisation is legally required to look after its employees and the general public. This includes managing risk to reduce the number and severity of incidents. This in turn, helps to reduce fleet costs related to repair costs, vehicle and personal downtime.

Programmes such as driver behaviour monitoring can help. This shows how driving styles can help to reduce accidents, improve fuel economy, reduce CO2 and ultimately create a driver safety culture.

Typically, reducing fleet risk is lower in the list than reducing cost and becoming more sustainable. If done well, managing fleet risk has the potential to impact both these first two aims.

Managing an issue after it happens really isn’t the best approach in any business activity.

Is data privacy more important than driver safety?

The old saying, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”, is so true.

The post Fleet Risk | What emphasis do you place on it? appeared first on Fleet360.

Across Europe, road accidents involving people who drive for work account for between 25% – 33% of all work related deaths. Once this figure is known, it is quite amazing to find that many fleets do not have any safety campaigns in place to control fleet incidents. Alongside the risk to the people involved, there are the other ways poor road safety impacts your business and its reputational damage.

Study findings

• 42% of commercial fleets are involved in 1-5 road collisions per year
• 84% of fleet managers agree that poor driving behaviour has a negative impact on their business
• 50% of fleet managers agree that they are not certain their drivers behave safely on the roads
• 51% of fleet managers agree that they have too much vehicle downtime.

How can you improve driver safety?

Control the controllable

• 90% of road accidents involve human error
• 10-25% of all road accidents involve driver fatigue
• 10% of people who driver for work admit they have fallen asleep behind the wheel

Driving behaviour is a key component of road safety. Understanding your safety culture is key to minimising fleet incidents by uncovering what your drivers are actually doing behind the wheel. The recent study uncovered some startling facts highlighting the issue of distracted driving:

• A driver using mobile phone or other device while driving 77%
• A driver driving while fatigued 75%
• A driver speeding 74%
• A driver failing to stop at a red light or stop sign 74%
• A driver not using a seatbelt/using a seatbelt incorrectly while driving 73%
• A driver smoking while driving 71%
• Drivers not informing you about potential risks such as tyre under inflation 71%
• A driver eating or drinking while driving 69%
• One of your vehicles failing on the road due to lack of maintenance 66%

Driver behaviour and your Insurance premiums

The study found that the majority of fleets accept liability for 21- 30% of the collisions involving their vehicles in the last year. However, the majority also believe they were only truly responsible for 0-10%.

• 65% of fleet managers are concerned about other road users making false claims against their vehicles
• The average commercial fleet has three insurance claims made against it per month
• 58% of fleet manager agree that their liability insurance premium is too high

Your brand reputation

Not all the costs can be evaluated and put down on a spreadsheet. The damage done to a company’s brand reputation when one of its drivers behaves unsafely on the road is also a key issue for commercial fleets.

The study found that 75% of fleet managers are concerned that poor driving behaviour will harm their company’s reputation.

Now more than ever we should all take a look at study’s like this one and make a strategic change based on the data. Driver behaviour can be changed. Zero incidents may not be achievable but zero deaths must be a priority for all fleet managers.

Implementing prevention programs can be a challenge. It is important to simply start and develop according to need, appetite and budget. Fleet360 can assist you to design a bespoke prevention program taking these elements into account.

Get in touch for some ideas.

BE INSPIRED:
Case Study: Siemens #goforzero campaign

The post Driving behaviour and your brand reputation appeared first on Fleet360.

When advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are used correctly, they are literally a life safer. However, drivers should be aware of these features as some can be switched off by mistake.

ADAS features include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking systems, lane keeping assist and driver monitoring for drowsiness and distraction recognition. Many of these features will become mandatory in new vehicles from July 2022.

But a recent FIA report says awareness and understanding of these systems is generally low among drivers – and most do not receive any training.

Instead, drivers turn to the user manual and apply a ‘trial-and-error’ method. This clearly could have potentially worrying consequences for all road users.

Make time for ADAS awareness.

Vehicle manufacturers, dealers and leasing companies have been urged to ensure drivers taking new vehicles are given education when vehicles are supplied.

“It is essential that fleet managers take some responsibility on educating drivers in the best use of technology. As cars become more like mobile computers, understanding the benefits of ADAS is essential.”

The FIA report, also calls for a comprehensive explanation to end-users of the systems’ limitations, more consistently accurate functioning of ADAS in practice. Also, the introduction of fail-safe communications to alert users if any of the systems fail is suggested.

Driver behaviour

A recent study found that 41% of drivers intentionally switch off safety systems such as autonomous emergency braking or lane deviation warning whilst driving. It also reveals there is still a lack of knowledge and awareness about how to properly use and maintain the systems.

And a total of 55% of drivers were unaware that the cameras and sensors that underpin ADAS systems need to be recalibrated when the windscreen is replaced. Also, 52% didn’t know that body repair work also requires recalibration of such systems.

When asked, two-thirds (67%) of drivers agreed that more education is needed around the importance of ensuring this technology is properly maintained.

Driver education is key. For example, when ABS was introduced, drivers had to be educated that when braking hard, you should also steer around the object in view. Thankfully, you cannot switch off ABS.

Carrying out a vehicle handover and end of contract check is quite normal but additional ADAS awareness can be covered in a few minutes. This will help to highlight the life saving driver safety technology that everyone needs to know about.

Discover more about ADAS.

The post Don’t forget your ADAS awareness appeared first on Fleet360.

The last few years have seen some major advancements within the automotive industry. ADAS is key to this. Almost every new vehicle made today contains numerous safety technologies which alert drivers to hazards on the road. As an example, by 2022 every new vehicle model will have to be fitted with Emergency Lane Keeping and with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) by 2024.

As with any new technology, regulation needs to be created and updated to adequately manage risk and safeguard drivers. In other industries we have seen regulators struggle to keep up with the rate of technological development, for example appropriate safeguards around social media to protect young and vulnerable people. If ADAS is not managed correctly it can have dangerous consequences on the road, so it’s essential the industry moves quickly to ensure we are doing everything possible to keep drivers safe.

One example of how ADAS regulation can help prevent accidents is through regulation of AEB systems. Many accidents are caused by late braking, either as a result of the driver being distracted, the vehicle in front stopping suddenly or the driver not braking with enough force. AEB systems prevent this by stopping the vehicle independently of the driver.

However, despite the installation of AEB systems being mandatory in new vehicles from 2024 there is no regulation around instructing drivers how to use such systems and it is still possible for drivers to switch them off. AEB is an hugely important system and works as a safety net in the most critical scenarios. While AEB systems should switch themselves back on automatically when the vehicle is next driven, this is not the case for other ADAS functions, like Lane Keep Assist.

The danger here is if someone else uses the vehicle without realising the safety system is switched off, they will be relying on technology which is not even in use. Regulations must be put in place to ensure the driver is unable to switch off these systems.

Understanding Driver behaviour is vital.

Without initial regulation to control ADAS systems, drivers need to know how to use ADAS technologies correctly and to fully understand their capabilities. Drivers should receive comprehensive instruction on the use and risks of ADAS systems, and training curriculums must evolve in step with their usage.

“Some drivers can spend up to 10 hours a day on the road. ADAS systems that reduce repetitive driving tasks and assist in recognising when drivers are distracted are welcomed. Until fully autonomous vehicles arrive, the driver is still in control at present.”

According to a 2018 survey by US insurance marketplace EverQuote, one in three drivers (33%) believe that semi-autonomous driving technology, such as automated park assist, self-driving autopilot, and lane-departure sensors, makes them safer drivers.

Yet, as with every technological advancement, human behaviour is an essential factor. Over reliance on ADAS can create complacency and, somewhat counter intuitively, increase risk.

This is backed by figures published in December 2019 by the US-based AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which found that drivers were nearly twice as likely to engage in distracted driving while using ADAS systems compared to without them.

This is a key message. The presence of a particular driver aid system can create a real false sense of security and infallibility – which is a very dangerous state when in control of a fast-moving vehicle. New technology in vehicles is being introduced with little understanding about its effect on driving at work. As automation increases, drivers will have less opportunity to develop their driving skills. Studies show that some elements of driving performance are negatively affected when using ADAS due to the way drivers adapt to the assistance offered.

“Fleet Managers and indeed drivers need to understand the difference between assisted driving and automated driving. If you’re driving a vehicle with a high level of assistance, the customer needs to know they are still responsible for keeping themselves and others around them safe. Driver behaviour is critical to overall driver safety.”

As a fleet responsible, you should address the requirements of driving in today’s vehicles, so that drivers are prepared for semi or full automation. Combine this with the benefits of ADAS and road safety is set to improve for all.

ANY QUESTIONS?
If your company would like assistance with making a business case for investing in ADAS systems starting from an analysis of your accident statistics, or more in general if you want to discuss the advantages and content of a bespoke safety or prevention program, please reach out to us for a chat.

The post ADAS and driver behaviour appeared first on Fleet360.

The post Your Global Fleet Data appeared first on Fleet360.

The Process

A typical campaign to reduce driver accidents looks to communicate the message to the whole company. The added benefit is that all drivers, not just company car drivers, see and understand the issue. Staff must connect with the campaign and see that they and their colleagues are part of the solution. The campaign referred to in the case study shows that the optimal result is obtained by not only providing the driver general information, but also confronting them with their own driving behaviour which in turn helps them improve by either eLearning or immediate feedback.

The post Up to 65% reduction in claim cost for your fleet appeared first on Fleet360.