Ford Pro, the commercial unit of Ford Motor Co., has rolled out a few new software and technology features to improve safety and efficiency at the fleet level, all to help fleet managers glean more insight into how their trucks and vans operate to better manage risks.
“Fleet managers have more to deal with than ever: managing fleets, maximizing uptime, and minimizing the risks of accidents to drivers, vehicles, and their business,” said Dave Prusinski, GM of Ford Pro Integrated Services. “Ford Pro Intelligence, now with video telematics, gives fleet managers more visibility and control over what’s happening inside the cabin and on the road. It’s like having a coach in the passenger seat.”
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New features
Ford Pro Telematics with Dashcam: The cloud-connected Lytx dual-facing dash cam can now fully integrate into the Ford Pro Intelligence platform to capture both what's happening in front of the vehicle and in the driver seat.
The outward-facing lens records footage that can potentially provide evidence in the case of an on-the-job incident. It can also capture context related to vehicle alerts or driving events, such as harsh braking to help avoid a road hazard. By using this footage, drivers can be coached on compliant driving habits and potentially strengthen cases against insurance claims, an attractive prospect given the 17% increase in auto insurance premiums in the first half of 2023.
The camera mounts to the windshield, and video telematics data is sent to the platform. The level of insights available depends on the customer’s Ford Pro Telematics subscription level and business needs. That data is stored within the Ford Pro Intelligence platform for 30 days, where customers can retrieve and view it at any moment within that time frame.
Upfit Integration System: Launched stateside in 2023 in the U.S., and in Europe the previous year, Ford Pro UIS digitizes makes upfitting commercial vehicles easier by eliminating the need for aftermarket modules, hard switches, and secondary control panels.
The latest addition to the Ford Pro UIS is standard vehicle motion inhibit control. The new feature will allow upfitters to create logic to prevent the vehicle from being shifted into gear while powered upfit equipment is deployed. The sub-compartment lock feature, enables drivers to use a touchscreen button on the Sync screen, door code, or key fob to lock and unlock compartments in which equipment or cargo is secured. This gives drivers the ability to lock and unlock rear compartments without the use of physical keys.
Fleet Start Inhibit: With this feature, fleet managers can remotely disable the start of their vehicles using embedded vehicle technology and the Ford Pro telematics dashboard. Managers can create recurring and one-time schedules or send inhibit and de-inhibit commands remotely to secure fleet vehicles from unauthorized use.
The available Vehicle Security app found in the Ford Pro Fleet Marketplace allows fleet managers to trigger a vehicle alarm remotely and create security alerts. These include alerts when a vehicle is started away from its last location or when a door is opened during certain time windows.
