MiX: Harnessing telematics for driver performance and fleet management

March 22, 2024

Drivers and operators are the core of fleet-first companies, representing a pivotal area for driving tangible operational improvements. Monitoring drivers is critical for safety; telematics and fleet management empower businesses to proactively assess and optimise driver performance.

By leveraging this technology and data-driven insights, companies can ensure safer operations, mitigate risks, and enhance overall productivity. Digitised solutions in vehicle telematics streamline fleet management protocols. This improves safety, compliance, efficiency, security, and sustainability across various industries.

The transportation industry faces significant risks such as distracted driving, speeding and other unsafe driving behaviours, hours of service non-compliance, and unauthorised vehicle use. These and other risks can lead to safety-related incidents and harm operational efficiency.

One essential aspect of risk management for fleets is ensuring drivers do not practice aggressive drive or display poor driving habits. If just one fleet driver regularly drives aggressively or has unsafe driving habits, it has knock-on effects; poor driving puts other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk, as well as the fleet’s vehicles and their cargo. Route deviations and delays, meanwhile, can disrupt delivery schedules, impact customer satisfaction, and hinder overall operational efficiency.

Implementing fleet management and driver monitoring systems is crucial to address these risks effectively; it promotes safer driving habits, reduces costs, and increases efficiency. Leveraging telematics enables proactive risk monitoring and management, fostering sustainable driving habits and enhancing overall fleet performance.

The MiX Fleet Manager Premium online platform comprises a sophisticated onboard computer that collects and transmits valuable vehicle and driver data. Driver behaviour and driving hours, fleet locations, engine diagnostics, and routes are tracked and monitored to aid the business in improving productivity and efficiency. The solution also tracks a range of connected metrics in real-time, thereby improving asset utilisation while reducing operating expenses. This pre-emptive information gives site managers full visibility to all areas of their operations, equipping them with the data to continuously improve efficiency and performance.

For an added layer of security, MiX Fleet Manager can be paired with MiX Vision AI, an in-cab and road-facing camera powered by artificial intelligence and enabled with an Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS). The system gives drivers real-time coaching feedback based on event triggers that are configurated on risky driving behaviour, to give warnings against speeding and forward collisions. This helps to improve driving behaviour and mitigate accident risk. The video footage provides visual insights and data regarding a vehicle’s location and how it is being driven. It also provides visual evidence of driving incidents, which can prevent wrongful claims against drivers, helping to curb high insurance premiums.

“For more than 26 years, our SaaS-enabled software and technology has been trusted by our customers across different industries with varying needs, to provide actionable intelligence for informed decision making,” says Henry Smith, fleet sales director MiX Telematics Africa.

“We aim to provide the driver, operator, and fleet leader with real-time alerts to mitigate risks, as well as interpret the driver and vehicle data to provide insights into problem areas before they have a marked effect on sustainability efforts,” he adds.

Click here to find out more about telematics solutions that offer tangible asset and drive data.