Fleet Europe Summit 2018 – key takeaways

The Fleet Europe Summit is over for another year. We have compiled some key points that we picked up from the show.

Key Presentation topics

There were some great presentations that touched on some of the key challenges that fleet operators are having today.

Fleet electrification.
This was one of the main topics from our many conversations and a main topic presented during the forum. Many fleet operators are sure they need to switch to EV but are still unsure as to when, how and the impact it will have on their drivers TCM. Read more about fleet electrification.

Further evidence that EVs are around the corner was the unveiling of the Tesla Model 3. The Model 3 is now being rolled out in Europe and the signs are that this will become a major player in its sector.

Autonomous driving
A topic of interest but clearly further down the road is autonomous driving, the new opportunities this will bring and how disruptive this could be to the industry. Many challenges are still to overcome, but clearly in the (near) future autonomous driving in its different levels will be on our streets. Interesting to see and understand all the different pilot project running or to be introduced soon. Curious to see how to introduce this in your mobility strategy?

Driver Safety
Walking around in the Village, it was great to see that key discussions centered around driver safety. One key area that was of concern is how to monitor driver behaviour. Many companies know that they have a duty of care to their drivers but all too often it is a static programme that may only be delivered on demand or when high risk drivers are identified through static data analysis.

This is a step in the right direction, but there are other options to consider for true dynamic driver care programmes and create a culture of safety. Read more about our driver care programmes and how mobile applications such as Fleet360 CoPilot are game changes for fleet operators.

Fleet Cost
It is no surprise when you consider that fleet costs have risen by 9% on average across the EU (2017 – 2018) that this was another discussion point. Clearly, some cost elements can’t be controlled, eg. currency markets, supply chain, increases in fuel prices and legislation changes. However, other costs can be managed. Read more about controlling your TCM costs.

Fleet Policy
In the many chats we had, cost reductions were voiced still to be high on the priority list. It is no surprise when you consider that fleet costs have risen by 9% on average across the EU (2017 – 2018) that this was another discussion point. Cost control, cost avoidance and cost optimisation were buzz words spoken often. Topics clearly of interest are contracting, car policy changes, insurance, road safety, benchmark and opportunities of new power trains. Read more about controlling your TCM costs and our INSIGHTS programmes may be of interest.

In conclusion
The Fleet Europe Summit was a great, well organised show that clearly demonstrates the fleet market is experiencing some major changes and disruptions ahead. The topics above and many others will soon need to be on fleet agenda.

As we enter 2019, this will undoubtedly be a big year of change for fleet operators, leasing companies and vehicle manufacturers.