With mobile Internet becoming more and more ubiquitous in our daily lives, it only makes sense that it is showing up in our vehicles. As time goes on, our vehicles will become fully integrated with Internet connectivity. Glenn Lurie, president of AT&T’s Emerging Devices business, recently spoke about the future of connected cars to The New York Times:

 

“Five percent of cars are connected today,” said Lurie. “Three to five years from now, 100 percent [of new vehicles] will be connected. You’ll see diagnostics, calls when the airbag goes off, real-time traffic reports, entertainment in the back seat.”
Mr. Lurie thinks that the next step may be more grassroots, as smaller companies figure out how to repurpose existing devices, like the iPod, to work in new environments.

 

“What will be more innovative than people realize is the accessories business,” he said.

From iPod docks to integrated systems, we’re all becoming more and more dependent on technology to help us drive and do our jobs. Does your fleet use mobile devices in your vehicles during the workday?

Photo courtesy of Amy Guth and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

A while back, we looked at Ford’s new inflatable rear seat belt technology designed to reduce injury to passengers during accidents. Now that technology has received the prestigious Popular Mechanics’ Breakthrough Product Award.

"Ford's goal is to develop innovative safety technologies that give our customers more peace of mind, so it is a great honor to receive the Breakthrough Technology Award," said Srini Sundararajan, safety technical leader for Ford Research and Innovation. "I thank Popular Mechanics for recognizing the contributions of a number of dedicated engineers from Ford."

The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries. Ford introduced the inflatable rear seat belts in the 2011 Explorer, which already has a lot of positive feedback for its safety and driver-assist technologies.

Ford plans to roll out inflatable seat belt technology in more vehicles in the coming years.

Photo courtesy of JD Hancock and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

With Autumn now in full swing an winter just around the corner, it’s important to make sure your vehicles are ready for the coming winter. Take a moment to look over these winter preparation tips courtesy of Automotive Fleet and AAA:

• Have the battery and charging system tested by a trained technician to make sure your engine will start reliably.
• Inspect the underside of accessory drive belts for cracks or fraying.
• Inspect cooling system hoses for leaks, cracks or loose clamps. Also, squeeze the hoses and replace any that are brittle or excessively spongy feeling.
• In areas with heavy winter weather, installing snow tires on all four wheels will provide the best winter traction. Replace any tire that has less than 3/32-inches of tread.
• As the average temperature drops, so will tire pressures – typically by 1 PSI for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Check tire inflation pressure more frequently in fall and winter.
• Check the coolant level in the overflow tank when the engine is cold. If the level is low, add a 50/50 solution of coolant and water to maintain the necessary antifreeze capability.
• Check the operation of all headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, emergency flashers and back-up lights.
• Replace any wiper blade that leaves streaks or misses spots. In areas with snow, consider installing winter wiper blades.
• Fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir with a winter cleaning solution that has antifreeze components to prevent it from freezing.
• Check all fluids to ensure they are at or above the minimum safe levels.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Magill and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

It seems that the recent drop in gas prices in many parts of the country may be coming to an end, as changes in the market are likely to increase prices in the near future. Wholesale prices have seen dramatic increases in the past couple of days, with some markets back above $3.00 per gallon.

 

With supplies tightening and rising wholesale prices, drivers should expect to see a bounce in retail prices over the coming weeks. Many experts believe that prices will remain relatively high through the rest of the year.

 

As winter approaches, the annual relief from high summer gas prices may be a bit late in coming. Prepare your fleet for more high prices this winter by taking a good look at your practices and using good fuel management techniques!

• Control your costs by keeping track of purchases
• Eliminate unnecessary or fraudulent spending
• Cut down on administrative time

And remember, you can do all three with a fleet card!
   
Photo courtesy of Images Money and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

If your fleet is partial to Chrysler vehicles, you may want to make sure you’re not about to lose your favorite model…
As part of a plan to end duplication in dealer showrooms and give each of its brands a strong and distinctive lineup, Chrysler Group LLC will discontinue several models in the coming years. The much-loved Grand Caravan will be one of those eliminated – replaced by the Chrysler Town & Country.

 

The Grand Caravan minivan and Avenger mid-sized sedan will be replaced by a single crossover in 2013. Both the Dodge crossover and a new Chrysler sedan to replace the 200 will be built on Fiat platforms.
"We cannot have the same type of vehicle in the showroom because the consumer is not stupid," Marchionne said. "We're not going to create the confusion and conflict in the showroom."

 

Further details of Chrysler’s new plan:

 

•    A second smaller Dodge crossover is planned to replace the current Journey. That vehicle will arrive after 2014.
•    Dodge will cover the compact segment with a four-door sedan, expected to debut at the Detroit auto show in January.
•    The next-generation full-sized minivan, due in 2014, will be offered only by the Chrysler brand.
•    Chrysler has decided against introducing a new subcompact, citing price concerns.

If any of your favorite models are on the chopping block, stock up now!

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We talk a lot about distracted driving here on the FleetCards USA blog, but it’s important to realize just how much this risky driving practice can affect the safety of drivers and everyone around them. Now a new study from the Texas Transportation Institute shows that the impact is not insignificant; the results show that it takes a driver twice as long to react when they are distracted by reading or sending a text message.

 

The study, sponsored by the Southwest Region University Transportation Center, tested 42 drivers between the ages of 16 and 54 on a closed track with and without the task of texting a story while navigating the course.
Researchers also measured each driver’s ability to maintain proper lane position and a constant speed. They found drivers were less able to safely maintain their position in the driving lane when they were texting. Texting drivers tended to slow down but also had larger variations in speed overall.

 

More than 20 percent of all drivers have admitted to texting while driving. This leads to thousands of accidents every year, and should not be taken lightly. Make sure your drivers know the risks of texting and put policies in place to discourage it.

 

Photo courtesy of Jason Weaver and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

According to Sign On San Diego and the Automobile Club of Southern California, California may end 2011 with the highest average price per gallon of gas in history.

A gallon of regular unleaded was priced at $3.80 on average Monday in San Diego, down 3 cents from a week ago but well over the year-ago price of $3.01, with statewide gas prices on track to surpass the record yearlong average of $3.52 reached in 2008.

 

"Gas prices would have to average $2.44 a gallon between now and the end of the year for the yearlong average price to drop below the California annual record," said Jeffrey Spring, a spokesman for the Auto Club.

 

Gas prices have been very high nationwide this summer, but this news is pretty disturbing for high-volume fuel users like fleets. As the overall trend in gas prices continues to be increasing, make sure that you are managing your fleet’s fuel spending efficiently to help offset the cost of fuel with a fleet card!

Photo courtesy of Andre Faria Gomes and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

The economy is still making new car buyers wary of purchasing new vehicles, but it seems like fleets are not sharing the same fear. New registrations stayed almost level in September despite falling retail sales, which shows that business fleets have been actively restocking. Take a look at some recent data courtesy of Financial Times:

The market was supported primarily by fleet buyers, who registered 7 per cent more vehicles than a year ago, with many businesses that postponed renewing their fleets during the financial crisis buying vehicles again as part of their routine replacement cycle. However, registrations of new cars by private buyers showed a 9 per cent year-on-year drop last month.

Analysts said that the car-registration data reflected the pressure on consumers’ purchasing power from the weak economy and government spending cuts.

“It seems inevitable that many consumers will be unwilling or unable to spend on big-ticket items like a car, given squeezed purchasing power resulting from high inflation, low wage growth and tightening fiscal policy”, IHS Global Insight economist Howard Archer said in a research note.

Buying new fleet vehicles at this time is not just a way to help the industry; you can make it work for your business too. With demand for new cars low, you are in a better position to negotiate with dealers for a better price or even a volume discount for multiple vehicles. Be proactive with your vehicle restocking and you could come out ahead by spending a little money in the short term.

Leave us a comment below and let us know what your fleet is doing about new vehicles in what is, for some, still a very economically challenging time.

Photo courtesy of Emilio Labrador and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

Employee fraud is a huge problem for fleets, especially when fuel costs are so high. Now, a study has been released that shows yet another instance of increased fraudulent behavior among fleet drivers. Check out the story, via Business Fleet:

A new study from workforce management company Natural Insight shows a strong correlation between rising gas prices and employees over-reporting mileage in expense reports.

During a six-month period, Natural Insight found employee over-reporting of mileage increased to as much as 32 percent over the actual number of miles traveled as gas prices reached their peak. Even when gas prices were at their lowest level during the six-month period, employees still over-reported mileage by 18 percent... On average, over-reporting of mileage ran at 24 percent throughout the study period.

"While businesses are supportive of proper worker expense compensation, over-reporting on expense reports is more common than we expected to see and certainly presents a large opportunity for cost reduction if properly identified. Accuracy in reporting of mileage is the issue here. As actual fuel costs rise and fall, corporate reimbursement rates can work for and against the worker since guidelines are typically set on an annual basis," said Stefan Midford, President and CEO of Natural Insight.

Keeping your employees honest doesn’t have to be a confrontation or micromanaging, but making sure your drivers stay honest is important to your business’ bottom line. When you use a fleet fuel management system from FleetCards USA, our powerful reporting tools and controls make it impossible for your drivers to fudge numbers and misreport. Visit our main site at www.fleetcardsusa.com for more information.

Photo courtesy of Paulo Ordoveza and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

Yesterday’s announcement of the iPhone 4S by Apple introduced a revolutionary new voice recognition system coming to the iPhone, packaged with the digital personal assistant the electronics giant has dubbed Siri. The new technology understands speech in a more conversational form than ever before, eliminating the constant misunderstandings and limitations of traditional voice recognition software. Now it seems that automakers are trying to use the same kind of technology, both for safety and luxury.

"Smartphones have become a major part of people's lives; manufacturers are responding to that," said Kathy McMahon, senior manager of GM's infotainment group. "Infotainment systems are one of the top five reasons people cite for purchasing a new vehicle. It's a very big deal."

But when it comes to safety, voice recognition is very important to eliminate further distractions. Ford’s Sync system is fairly advanced (it is able to recognize 10,000 different commands), but new advances like Siri should make distractions even fewer and less severe. Imagine being able to hear and respond to messages simply by talking, or even filling out reports in mid-trip without ever taking your eyes off the road. The more advanced voice recognition technology becomes, the safer we can make vehicles in the age of distracted driving.

What do you think? Would you implement a voice-recognition system in your vehicles if it didn’t cost too much?

Photo courtesy of Yutaka Tsutano and re-used under the Creative Commons license.