Volkswagen Announces Online Fleet Management Platform
Volkswagen Truck & Bus is looking to "fundamentally change" the transport industry with the launch of its RIO cloud-based operating system. There is currently no information available specifying if the company plans to roll out to the United States, but RIO is slated to go online in 2017, according to the company’s plans announced in the lead up to the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany.
The RIO online platform promises to provide fleet management and telematics support for transport operators and would see its open-source system cover all information associated with the supply chain, from truck types and payloads to traffic and weather issues.
"For the first time, our unified platform enables the registration, management, and integrated use of all data and information available in the transportation system," Volkswagen Truck & Bus CEO Andreas Renschler says.
The truck maker says the solution will connect all players in the industry, from shippers to customers, and utilize "intelligent algorithms" to analyze "information from tractors, trailers, bodies, drivers, and orders as well as combining this information with traffic, weather, or navigation data" to "provide its users with concrete recommendations for action in real time."
Focusing initially on its MAN brand, where all trucks will ship with the technology as standard from autumn next year, Volkswagen says the system will be able to be retrofitted into all vehicles.
Once fitted with the technology, the company says updates will be automatic. It predicts around 40 updates per year.
NAFA Fleet Management Association
http://www.nafa.org/