As IoT technology, fleet needs and customer expectations change and grow, it is becoming almost impossible to run a fleet on a closed system . Even though it still offers helpful vehicle operating data such as telling us about driver behaviour, it is certainly not enough to take your fleet to the next level. For example, if you want to reproach your drivers for poor driving behaviour while driving, you would have to go through the whole rigmarole process of calling your driver, which is reckless and endangers their lives.
With that said, using an open platform system like Geotab’s is very important. With the ability to expand and integrate with other technologies, it will enable you to reveal the bigger picture and make informed decisions that will lead to a greater return on investments.
The Difference Between a Closed System and Open Platform System
Although both closed and open systems provide essential vehicle data, there is a major difference in how they function and the amount and quality of information they provide. A closed system works in isolation, allowing for very little information to be exchanged between systems. On the contrary, an open platform system works in the opposite direction in that it enables interaction with other external systems to provide unlimited access to your data.
The Advantages of Using an Open Platform
Adopting an open platform system is the future of fleet management, and this is why.
1. Offers Big Data
Having an open system is like sitting on a goldmine of information about the performance and use of your vehicles. Armed with a myriad of sensors, open systems can generate large volumes of data from multiple sources in real-time. This allows businesses to gain a much bigger and clearer picture of their activities and discover new ways to further maximise their return on investments (ROI). Read more on how Big data is transforming the logistics industry.
2. Remote Diagnostics
Even high-quality information can quickly lose value if fleet managers cannot understand it. For example, a closed system may alert you to fault codes on your fleet, but not tell you what to do with this information. With an open system that is integrated with a vehicle maintenance app, the fault codes leave the software as actionable information on defects. This allows you to react to engine failures before they turn into serious problem or downtime. Read more on Geotab’s integration with Cummins Connected Diagnostics app.
3. Enhanced User Experience
There is nothing as annoying as having to capture the same information twice but in two different systems. Using an open platform provides a significantly enhanced user experience. With data sharing application programming interfaces (APIs) set in the background of the MyGeotab software, users can enjoy a faultless user experience without the need to enter the same information into another system.
4. Flexibility
While all systems may differ in their functioning, they all have boundaries. In contrast to closed systems with impermeable boundaries, open platform systems offer a great deal of flexibility in that they have pervasive boundaries that enable easy exchange and understanding of data.
5. Offers Full Visibility
One of the biggest priorities for fleet managers is to ensure their drivers’ safety. Although a closed system provides key vehicles metrics such as its speed, harsh braking and idling time, adopting an open platform system is an important part of building an effective risk management strategy. With the ability to integrate dashboard camera, fleet managers can have full visibility for when drivers are in the field. Furthermore, information can be shared and transmitted to drivers without using a cell phone or email by incorporating the Geotab Go Talk Device.
Read more on Geotab’s seamless camera integration solution with Trojan Telematics.
6. Increased Accuracy
The growing customer expectations for timely delivery have added another layer of challenges to the logistics industry. To ensure good customer experience, fleets now need to provide customers with an accurate estimated time of arrival (ETA) of their goods. Through the use of an open platform system, companies have the opportunity to gather and distribute a continuously updating ETA as events unfold throughout the supply chain.
There is little, if not no argument that using an open platform system is becoming very important. Through its ability to integrate and generate large amounts of data, it offers fleets endless opportunities to grow.
Author: The Geotab Africa Team
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