How AI Is Helping Big Fleet Operators Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions

By Benjamin Raziel

As scorching heat waves, wildfires and hurricanes fuel greater attention to global warming, businesses with significant greenhouse gas emissions are putting a premium on new technologies that promise to reduce their carbon output.

From truckers and public transit systems to construction and farm operators, companies are increasingly turning to fleet management technology to shrink the environmental impact of their sprawling operations.

The trend is accelerating as artificial intelligence and machine learning help fleet management services deliver new efficiencies that weren’t previously possible – like analyzing driver behavior in real time to cut down on inefficient driving actions, or flagging a construction vehicle for preemptive maintenance to avoid wasteful wear-and-tear and costly equipment breakdowns.

These next-generation technologies have the potential to make a dent in some of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The transportation industry, for example, accounts for more than 15% of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Energy, agriculture and other heavy industries are also major contributors.

One of the leaders in the fleet management space is MiX Telematics, a South Florida software-as-a-service provider that focuses in part on helping customers improve their environmental sustainability. MiX’s technology – including new AI and machine learning offerings – enables enterprise customers to monitor driver behaviors and other benefits that lead to increased fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

“The only way for fleets to achieve sustainability goals and remain competitive is through the data insights available through telematics,” said Steve Ratcliffe, MiX’s global product manager.

In practice, those data insights can directly lower fleets’ greenhouse gas impact. MiX’s services include software programs to help trucking companies plan more efficient routes and AI-powered dashboard cameras that analyze driver activity to deter inefficient actions, like aggressive braking and accelerating, which waste fuel and can strain the vehicle. Meanwhile, any business with heavy assets can use AI programs to proactively maintain and repair their machinery or analyze how to most efficiently distribute these valuable resources across their operations.

The climate benefits of these changes can add up. Hard acceleration and braking can lower fuel efficiency and highway mileage by 33 percent, according to Department of Energy studies. Proactive maintenance, meanwhile, can improve gas mileage and fuel efficiency by 4 percent – and reduce breakdowns and idling, which are particularly wasteful sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

“Optimal driving techniques can also help you cut emissions and save money in a gasoline-powered car,” according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

Even fleet operators shifting to electric vehicles are turning to AI and other new fleet management solutions to help overcome some of the major hurdles that still stand in the way of widespread EV usage, like battery and range limitations.

“The rapid growth of electric vehicles in commercial fleets is forcing a change in not just driver behavior but also management thinking,” said Ratcliffe. “The driver’s journey from diesel to electric or any alternate fuel requires training and ongoing coaching to gain their acceptance and advocacy.”

The growing interest in environmental sustainability among businesses and investors has been a boon for companies that can help enterprise customers meet those goals. That’s true of MiX, which recently surpassed one million customers and provides software services in more than 120 nations.

In a recent survey by management consultancy PwC, 44 percent of investors said that confronting climate change should be one of the top five priorities of a business.

“Even in a challenging economic environment, almost half of the investor community sees climate change as a top five priority for business,” said Will Jackson-Moore, head of PwC’s global sustainability team. “Investors expect business to be able to change in ways that enhance profitability, build trust and deliver sustained outcomes.”