For many companies, talking about digital transformation still refers to warehouses or administrative processes , but in transportation, fleet digitalization has become a critical tool for improving road safety, optimizing costs, and attracting talent that is currently scarce in the sector.
“Five years ago, we still found fleets operating without GPS, blindly. Today, telemetry, video, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions are essential. It’s no longer enough to know where the truck is, but how it’s being driven and what opportunities there are for improvement,” explained Luis Daniel Gómez, Senior Sales Manager at Webfleet .
According to Gómez, one of the main barriers remains resistance to change. For example, companies that still rely on phone calls or WhatsApp tracking lack real visibility into what’s happening with their units.
“There are companies that say, ‘I’ve been operating like this for 30 years and I don’t have any problems.’ But in reality, they’re missing out on savings opportunities and exposing themselves to unnecessary risks,” he warned.
Contrary to popular belief, safety and productivity are not mutually exclusive . Gómez explained that an employee who feels cared for, who knows their workday is well managed, and that there are tools to protect them, will be more loyal, efficient, and likely to remain with the company.
In a context where the operator shortage is critical, retaining talent has become a priority.
In addition, digitalization also helps meet environmental goals , with tools to measure carbon footprints and make decisions based on real emissions data.
In this sense, Webfleet solutions allow real-time monitoring of driving habits: harsh acceleration, braking, sharp turns, fuel consumption, and even the time a vehicle remains idling.
“With this data, the client can identify drivers engaging in risky behavior, train them, and prevent accidents,” he said.
One of the most powerful advances has been the incorporation of AI cameras .
These can detect distractions such as cell phone use, not wearing seatbelts, unsafe lane changes, and even signs of drowsiness. The camera issues alerts in the cabin and also notifies the fleet manager.
Gómez shared the case of a client whose operator was involved in a fatal accident caused by a third party.
“Thanks to the video evidence, it was possible to prove that the operator was not at fault. This not only freed him from legal consequences, but also confirmed the value of having technology that protects lives,” he said.
The trends for the immediate future are driven by Artificial Intelligence. Webfleet is already working on a new phase of its platform with virtual assistants that will allow users to view key data such as the vehicle with the highest fuel consumption or the most kilometers traveled through conversational bots like ChatGPT .
Technologies are also being developed to identify operators using cards, and cameras’ ability to detect real drowsiness, not just distractions, is being improved.
“This is no longer science fiction. The technology is already here, and fleets that don’t jump on the digitalization bandwagon will be at a disadvantage. We are here to support them in this process,” emphasized Luis Daniel Gómez.
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