Just after the hot off the press news of Verizon Connect winning the autoXreport Innovator award in EV Fleet Management, Stephanie Atkinson meets up with Ty Layman (Senior Manager, Product Marketing at Verizon Connect) to learn more about Verizon Connect and their drive to best serve the Fleet ecosystem. Check out their conversation below. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel I want to congratulate you guys for winning the EV Fleet Management Innovator award for the AutoXreport Innovator Awards that were announced in February of this year. Can you tell me a little about Verizon Connect’s overall portfolio specific to electric vehicles and some of the emerging automotive space?! Ty Layman, Verizon Connect Verizon Connect’s primary product is called Reveal. What we're trying to do is just make fleet management easier for customers, and part of what we're trying to do is make it easy for customers to actually manage mixed fleets. The reality is most fleets are still internal combustion engine vehicles and so most telematics providers, including ourselves, help our clients manage their internal combustion engine fleets. from monitoring the fleets themselves on a live map to seeing where vehicles are currently located, to actually being able to create maintenance schedules within our platform and making safety easier for customers as well. We have the ability to monitor the speed of the vehicle, for example, and send an alert if the driver actually ends up speeding or is driving in a harsh manner. If there is hard breaking, or fast acceleration, then we can alert customers. We have monitoring reports that show day to day activities with your vehicles and full fleet, and provide driver behavior monitoring driving and other data to improve safety. As customers are moving more towards electric vehicles, this is going to be a process. It's going to be a little bit of adoption here and a little bit of adoption there. We're trying to provide those capabilities for those customers. Verizon Connect is supporting customers throughout their journey to EV. The tool that we have is to help customers actually make some initial determinations on which of their vehicles would be the best candidates to pursue EVs. We’ve also launched new capabilities to actually monitor those electric vehicles in the same sort of capacity that we have already allowed them to do from an internal combustion engine perspective. So, supporting customers with their current fleets because internal combustion engine vehicles are not going away, but also make certain we are on that leading edge of electric vehicles to support our customers. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel It looks like you guys are playing in the full ecosystem from the manufacturing of the vehicles all the way to driver experiences and driver safety. So, let's dive a little bit more into what you just talked about, Verizon Connect’s EVs suitability tool. How does that work? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect The goal of the EV suitability tool is to help give customers perspective on how their vehicles are actually being used day-to-day to see whether EV would be a good fit for that specific vehicle. And, this tool helps look at an entire fleet. As customers are using data or using their vehicles and using our telematic solution, the system is collecting data on the usage of those vehicles, and this helps them with their fleet management of course, but the system is able to take that data and then determine which of the vehicles would be a good fit for transitioning to EV. It does this without customers actually having to send in any data inputs. Verizon Connect’s tool makes this process as seamless and easy as possible by collecting this data, utilizing it for the customers to advise them on which of their vehicles would be the best vehicles to go electric. The tool shares overarching fleet statistics and shares which vehicles of the fleet would be a good fit for EV including sharing the specific number of vehicles. It also shares fuel cost savings that a customer could expect as well as CO2 reduction. That data is used to help the calculations on how much fuel would you save if you converted these specific vehicles to EVs and then how much CO2 reduction. The other aspect of the tool is driving range, making certain that a vehicle will fit within an EVs range. The tool classifies vehicles into four different rankings. The first is an excellent fit to be an EV; the second is a good fit; third is an OK fit; the last one is non-EV suitable. An excellent fit means within the data range that we're looking at, which is usually about eight weeks, and is what the tool is bringing in that a vehicle was within the comparable range of an EV 100% of the time. We know many of our customers have sustainability initiatives that they are trying to meet. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel Are you saying that it will identify the location and the relative vicinity of being able to charge and have access to the infrastructure that would be required…and different fleets have different driving areas, as some are driving in rural areas, and some aren't? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect It's actually simpler than that. It's more just driving distance for a specific day. It is identifying if an EV fits with the net range. For example, EV ranges that are actually on the lower end, many EVs can actually go farther, but we don't want to be giving customers bad data, so we stay conservative. If you charge at the beginning of the day and starting, then will the vehicles make it within that range without having to charge again? That’s what we're looking at including the battery life and the mileage because to your point, some of the more rural areas are not going to have the EV charging infrastructure that other areas might, and some customers are going to build out their own infrastructure. We look at employers who have home charging for their employee vehicles and fleets. What we have tried to do is basically say, ok, if we're going to give a recommendation, we want to be pretty confident about that recommendation. We look at those scenarios to determine how far the vehicle is going on this day. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel That makes sense. That's perfect. What are some of the fleet types? Is it more government, such as police and EMT vehicles, or is it auto rental companies or other industry fleets? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect We work with a wide variety of different types of fleets, of all sizes. Anything from about five vehicles up to enterprise level, which is thousands of vehicles. For this analysis, it works within each of these, you just have to have the requisite data. If you have a fleet of five vehicles, they will look at all five of those vehicles at the time frame and determine if any of them would be suitable. And it may say no, your fleet at this time with the current technology is not best suited for an EV. When we do recommend EV, we provide three top recommendations. But customers can also go look in the data and find a specific vehicle. If a customer is not looking to replace one of those vehicles because the vehicle is still new, then we work with clients on that. If another vehicle is at its end of life, you can go look at that specific vehicle as well. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel I know partnerships have continued to be an important strategy for Verizon Business and Verizon Connect. Can you talk more about your overall strategy and some of the key automotive partners that you work with or collaborate with? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect We understand we can't do everything, and there are many different companies that specialize in areas which we have no specific expertise or plans to operate in. We know that our customers are really utilizing many of these different companies. What we're trying to do is build our strategy for partnerships and build good relationships with the best of the best out there, and make certain we have the partners that our customers really want, really desire and not just necessarily fill our marketplace with just everybody. We always want to make sure that we're providing good recommendations to the top automotive companies. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel That's great feedback. There are companies out there that develop a marketplace and it's just flooded, you know, they have thousands of partners that they'll list on there, but they're not actually doing business with them. So, I like to hear about the strategic nature of your relationships. So, let's talk a little bit about the key trends and some of the things that you guys are seeing with your own customers. I know you guys probably attend a lot of the big automotive conferences and events that take place every year. So, what are you hearing out there in terms of automation, AI, and other innovations? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect The core of what people are trying to do is still the same as they worry about increasing costs, whether it’s fuel costs increasing or just variability, and helping them improve safety (reducing accidents) and promote the safety of drivers and vehicles. Those are still the key areas that are top of mind for many of the customers that we work with. The customers see all the cool stuff out there but need to know how they can get those core things that they do as a fleet coordinated, cost-effective, safe and optimized. We've implemented AI technology, particularly in safety features, such as our integrated AI dash cam within our Reveal solution. This dash cam constantly monitors the road for potential threats and can detect various actions, like a driver using their phone or exhibiting signs of drowsiness. It provides alerts for such events and also identifies pedestrians and other hazards. Despite initial reservations, this technology can greatly benefit drivers, providing evidence for training purposes or in case of false accusations. Additionally, we offer tools for cost projection, including vehicle maintenance reports and fuel usage analysis through partnerships with fuel card providers. By integrating these features, we aim to provide comprehensive support for safety and cost optimization. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel I was listening to you talk about the cameras and, and just the solutions overall and it sounds to me like a lot of more aftermarket, right? Because the automotive industry is also working on a lot of embedded technology in the dash, in the harnessing systems and other areas. Many of these vehicles come with their own software and platforms that users and drivers can log into. We’ve got these technology companies as well as the automotive manufacturers looking at it from both sides, but a lot of this comes together with software, data and you mentioned AI as well. So, it's good to hear what you guys are doing in the space specific to safety and support on the cost side. Ty Layman, Verizon Connect Yes, and one thing we are working on is integration. Our dashcams are part of our Reveal solution if customers choose to add dashcams to their existing subscriptions. The dashcam information is automatically uploaded into our system. So, for example, if the system detects a harsh driving event, it will automatically create a clip and upload that into our system, you don't have to go in after the fact and look through the entire SD card. We know that different companies are adding technology and services to and within the vehicles. We allow our customers to use these in whatever vehicle is appropriate for them. Our system can align with any manufacturer and it works, providing more flexibility in allowing the different types of vehicles that can be adopted in a fleet. Be sure and check out more on our Intelligent AI dashcam solutions. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel And I'm sure in some particular fleets they've got some really legacy vehicles in their fleets that are still working and working well but they're not necessarily smart cars at all or have the intelligence that some of the newer ones have. I want to chat more about electric vehicles. As an industry, I think a lot of folks that are out there are looking at the market and we were so aggressive, hoping that things would move a lot quicker and that hasn’t happened. There have been a number of market challenges around infrastructure readiness and charging access, along with general buyer or driver acceptance. What are some of the things that you're seeing out there…and maybe some of the ways that Verizon is adapting to staying on top of this? Aside from the EV Suitability Tool, are there any other things that you might comment on to facilitate your customers around the adoption of EV? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect Well, the thing about EVs is customers totally get and understand internal combustion vehicles. Whenever customers purchase a new vehicle, that's still a fairly significant cost. So, if you have been doing this for a long time, you already have that knowledge. It's a known commodity, where an EV may be somewhat of an unknown so sometimes what we've been seeing is that even if the EV might be a good fit, there's just some hesitation because of the unknowns when it comes to maintenance schedules, electricity costs, charging installation, and more. Verizon Connect works to provide some of those answers as much as we can to help our customers. In addition, we've seen that once drivers start using the vehicles, once you get over that hump of the unknown, then EVs start to really be liked by drivers and then companies really consider full EV fleets. Companies will oftentimes have a mixed fleet. Customers like what EV offers, including the instant torque, and some understand they can do more with EVs. Once they know that it does fit within their driving range (mileage), then they also become more comfortable. We will see adoption continue. We've enhanced our product with EV features to address key customer concerns. We now display charging status on our live map, allowing fleet managers to track which vehicles are charging and available for dispatch. Additionally, managers and drivers can monitor battery levels in real-time to ensure sufficient charge for trips. Our system also provides detailed post-journey battery usage analysis, aiding in accurate planning. The "Replay" feature offers a comprehensive view of a vehicle's daily travel, including battery usage by segment. Furthermore, our charging history report offers insights into charging durations over time, empowering fleet managers with valuable data for optimization. When a customer makes those first EV investments, using Verizon Connect solutions, they can start to see how EVs and their fleet all work for their business, and then make informed decisions on when they can expand more broadly. Our approach to it is making certain that we can give the customers the data that they need to best manage their electric vehicles within their fleet, but also so that they can see what is working for specific vehicles. This also shows which vehicles they might not want to move to EV, or if they should keep some with internal combustion engines. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel It sounds to me that the wealth of information you guys are pulling and providing to your fleet customers and showcasing a range of capabilities. I think this is also part of the journey as they transition or consider moving to EV. Education is part of the process for fleet customers, but also gives them that sense of security that they will have information to work with and to make informed decisions. Fleet managers and drivers may be more comfortable in their adoption as a result, and thus begin to make scale decisions. Ty Layman, Verizon Connect We don’t think that gas vehicles are going away anytime soon, but there will be a continued transition among fleets. There are viable use cases for both EVs and internal combustion vehicles and we're trying to make sure that we are properly positioned to help customers wherever they are. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel What are we expecting over the next 2 to 3 years from the industry from Verizon Connect? What is on your horizon? What are you excited about? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect It’s an exciting time to be within this field as new fleets are adopting EV. Being on the cutting edge of that technology, at least for me, is what I am personally excited about. There is a little bit of unknown of what the adoption will be for EVs and what the emerging technologies that are coming. However, we're excited about helping customers throughout the entire process. We know that lots of customers will have specific goals in mind when it comes to cost production, when it comes to sustainability and that these are conversations that are happening more and more often, especially around the sustainability space. Companies also have sustainability goals themselves, and EV is part of that larger equation. We are also staying on top of new government regulations that might be happening while setting our customers up for success. So, it's an exciting time. It's one that we're really looking forward to being a part of, I'm very excited about it. As you can probably tell it, it's a space that I truly have a passion for…and so I'm looking forward to seeing what the future provides. Stephanie Atkinson, CompassIntel Can you tell everyone how we could learn more about you and how to access your website? Ty Layman, Verizon Connect Visit us at VerizonConnect.com, where you can review all the different capabilities that we have and view more on our partnerships. We have a marketplace on the site as well, where you can learn more about our EV suitability tool and all the services/solutions that we offer to our clients. The site is a great resource to learn more about us and what we provide. Links to additional resources and related information:
 Field services and fleet management go hand in hand, while IoT (Internet of Things) continues to provide essential real-time intelligence to improve visibility, safety, and operational efficiencies. Connectivity, tracking, and telematics are at the center of the advancements being made in these industries. When you think about field services, you think many moving parts that need coordination…you think a wide range of logistics synchronization, customer support, delivery operations, and other coordinated activities that are all collectively brought about to make sure products/goods and services are delivered on time, with superior customer service, and with complete accuracy and safety. Field services and operations may include activities such as collecting customer insights, scheduling/dispatching of fleets, bid and estimate calculations, work orders and troubleshooting, and other administrative functions such as billing, accounts receivable, client/customer relations, and more. In addition, some field service teams may also include repair, maintenance, installation, and other services where technicians are required. People, processes, planning, and profit remain the four critical components of field services. The industry continues to move towards a digital transformation journey embracing cloud, software as a service, and IoT.
On the other side you have fleet operations that may require tracking, safety protocols, management, compliance, and coordination. So many industries rely on fleet operations including public safety, construction, HVAC, energy (oil & gas), shipping/logistics, telecommunications, waste management, public transportation, and just about any industry that has repair/maintenance/technician operations. Once a technician needs to be dispatched or needs to complete a delivery, there are many facets to organizing, coordinating, and tracking assets across the fleet. Tracking may take place around the assets in the vehicle, the fleet vehicles, and the drivers or mobile workforce. The human element remains important as safety and compliance become a top priority for drivers, workers, and technicians. The innovation taking place across field service and fleet management is driven by technology, and more specifically IoT, smart cameras, GPS tracking, telematics and real-time intelligence garnered through automation (AI, machine learning), sensor systems, edge computing, and software. Moreover, are the platforms and software systems that enable transparency and management, providing visibility across the fleet and field operations. GPS Insight is one such company bringing together field services and fleet management. In January 2022, GPS Insight acquired FieldAware, and CEO Gary Fitzgerald shared, “Our focus has been on bringing together fleet data and telematics technology with field service management solutions.” Of course, there are vendors operating in these fields but very few provide a streamlined portfolio of services to serve both field service and fleet operations. GPS Insight continues to have a laser-targeted approach and states, “Joining forces with FieldAware not only extends our competitive advantage across the field service and fleet management landscape, but also provides new capabilities to transform customer satisfaction into a new standard: customer success.” Field service and fleet management industries were hampered over the last few years and still grappling with the pandemic impact and supply chain shortages. The U.S. is also facing labor shortages, which further creates constraints for hiring and maintaining worker satisfaction. Profit loss, worker retention, and supply chain issues remain top of mind for many leaders in these sectors. However, labor shortages will push us further into relying on technology, automation, and real-time intelligence to get things done efficiently. Compass Intelligence expects field service and fleet management to remain one of the largest contributors to IoT connections growth, as we increase connectivity and tracking of people, assets, and fleets. IoT is and will continue to be essential to meet these challenges head on and provide real-time intelligence for improved operations and supply chain visibility. Further Reading:
In case you didn't know, BlackBerry is not only ramping up its portfolio around IoT security services and solutions, but they are also in the asset/fleet/cargo tracking market. Based on telematics research available on compassintel.com, total global asset tracking market will reach $27.1B by 2023, growing at 14.8% compound annual growth rate, with North America holding a strong 37% of the market share. When you add fleet tracking and cold chain tracking to this, it become an even larger market opportunity.
"The BlackBerry® Radar family of products is an all-encompassing asset tracking solution that gives fleet assets such as trailers, vans, containers, flatbeds, chassis and equipment the intelligence to securely communicate in near real-time."
Blackberry introduced BlackBerry® Radar (two versions including Radar-M and Radar-L) in 2016, and has really struggled to get to the market growth it needs to compete with the likes of Verizon Connect, Omnitracs (Qualcomm subsidiary), and others. This is a highly saturated market with 100s of companies competing just in the U.S. alone. The devices offer both an AT&T SIM and Orange SIM for connectivity, and customers can choose to pay all up front through a capital investment or pay a smaller up-front fee for the equipment and monthly recurring fee (MRC) for the services. There is also a lease option available for customers who prefer not to "own" the equipment. The primary telematics focus for BlackBerry is non-powered assets including cargo, low and high value shipping assets, and even cold chain assets. In an article in FleetOwner magazine BlackBerry SVP and General Manager Phillip Poulidis stated, "Radar customers are improving fleet efficiency on average between 7% and 10%." BlackBerry also stated a goal of reaching $100 million in revenue over the next three years from the telematics product.
A few additional notes...
All in all, BlackBerry will need to continue to push branding awareness in a very competitive marketplace, which may be challenging as it is not very well-known compared to the larger market players. The real opportunity would be for BlackBerry to set up a reseller/partnership ecosystem to push BlackBerry Radar (branded or white-labeled) to the masses, and this would mean partnering with other IoT telematics companies and wireless carriers, as well as non-traditional technology companies. Get this research! Asset Tracking Market by Technology, Connection Type, Mobility, Location Determination, and Industry Verticals 2018 – 2023 |
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