AttriX is at the forefront of advocating the importance and necessity of telematics in the fleet electrification process. However, as the transportation industry implements these cutting-edge technologies and solutions and plans its transition to electric, more and more data is going online — hence the importance of choosing the right telematics partner and opting for a rigorous cybersecurity solution.
Putting cybersecurity front and center
In this context more than ever, AttriX is diligent and proactive in development related to metadata and security, our solution even being tested and proven by the Ministère des Transports du Québec at this level. We are also proud to be Geotab’s largest partner in Quebec, a company investing heavily in data analytics and that has met the strictest security requirements set by the U.S. federal government, earning it the certification FedRAMP.
EVs represent an exciting advancement in the development of smart mobility and offer numerous benefits for fleet managers. And as with any new technology, cybersecurity must be considered a priority and a strict process must be followed by every adopting company to protect data.
Thus, the costs and risks incurred by adopting new technologies and the transition to electric mean that companies demand a certain level of certainty on a number of issues. Fortunately, the metadata are there to answer these questions.
Metadata, essential to fleet electrification
Metadata are at the heart of the move to electric, often several years before those transitions begin.
The metadata of a fleet, collected while it operates vehicles on traditional fuels, make it possible to accurately assess usage trends of each piece of equipment in relation to its routes, topography, operating climates, load and hundreds of other parameters specific to a fleet’s operations. The more operational data a fleet has, the more precise an assessment of an electric transition will be.
A fleet's own data are only the beginning. By compiling anonymized metadata available from Geotab, it is possible to perform analytical comparisons with existing EV and PHEV equipment data, which allows us to truly assess potential performance following a transition.
The EVSA (The Electric Conversion Audit) from Geotab automates the process and allows us to determine, using a fleet's historical data and metadata, which vehicles are eligible for transition as EV and PHEV equipment become available and more efficient.
Subsequently, by combining metadata related to infrastructure, charging stations and the capacity of public and internal infrastructure, the analysis exercise adds an operational planning aspect that includes charging in addition to vehicle choices. In short, this allows operational capabilities to be assessed according to existing infrastructures or for planning the fleet's future needs.
It is also thanks to metadata that companies like Geotab are currently able to evaluate a multitude of EV data that will be essential to a fleet's daily operations. Indeed, the following elements can be analyzed:
- Battery degradation rates in relation to charging operations, time and weather conditions
- Real-world vehicle range according to loads and temperatures
- Actual charging time according to infrastructure capacity and its fluctuation
- The impact of eco-driving on vehicle range
Commercial fleet managers have worked with combustion vehicles for more than 125 years; with that in mind, the transition to electric is a considerable change that can only be achieved successfully and quickly thanks to telematics, metadata and qualified, cybersecure technology partners.
This sponsored content was produced as part of the Impulsion MTL 2020 event – The International Forum on Fleet Management.
