Ford Pro, the commercial division within Ford Motor Company, has unveiled several new software and technology features to give fleet managers more insight into and control over how their commercial vehicles are operated to manage fleet risk.
Connected vehicle data is integrated into the Ford Pro Intelligence platform. Embedded modems or plug-in devices in 2015 or older models or non-Ford vehicles provide fleet managers access to the Ford Pro telematics features.
“Fleet managers have more to deal with than ever: managing fleets, maximizing uptime, and minimizing the risks of accidents to drivers, vehicles, and their business,” said Dave Prusinski, general manager of Ford Pro Integrated Services. “Ford Pro Intelligence, now with video telematics, gives fleet managers more visibility and control over what’s happening inside the cabin and on the road. It’s like having a coach in the passenger seat.”
A driver-facing lens captures behavior such as smoking, drinking, or cell phone usage to observe and potentially help correct and minimize distracted driving.Ford Pro
Dashcam video
The upgraded offer with the Ford Pro system now includes video telematics. A windshield-mounted, cloud-connected dashcam from Lytx, with two lenses to capture road-facing and in-cab footage.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of Ford Pro’s next generation of cloud-connected fleet technologies,” said Adam McCarty, senior vice president at Lytx. “Through continued innovation on our Lytx Vision Platform, we look forward to providing the Ford Pro team with groundbreaking tools to help fleets drive operational excellence.”
According to Ford Pro, the cameras deliver insights based on the customer’s Ford Pro Telematics2 subscription level and business needs. The data is stored within the Ford Pro Intelligence platform for 30 days, where customers can retrieve and view it at any moment within that time frame.
Footage from the cameras can be used to coach drivers on compliant driving habits and potentially strengthen cases against insurance claims. The outward-facing lens records footage that can potentially provide evidence in the case of an on-the-job incident. It can also capture context related to vehicle alerts or driving events, such as harsh braking to help avoid a road hazard. Conversely, the driver-facing lens captures behavior such as smoking, drinking, or cell phone usage to observe and potentially help correct and minimize distracted driving.
The recording will be activated for events like speeding, airbag deployment, or failure to wear a seatbelt. Driver’s The driver can also manually begin a recording when needed.
The outward-facing dashcam lens that is part of the Ford Pro Telematics package records footage that can potentially provide evidence in the case of an on-the-job incident.Ford Pro
Upfit integration
Revealed in 2022 in Europe and 2023 in the U.S., the available Ford Pro UIS makes upfitting commercial vehicles easy by eliminating the need for aftermarket modules, hard switches, and secondary control panels.
Ford Pro will soon be introducing a Vehicle Motion Inhibit Control that will allow upfitters to create logic to prevent the vehicle from being shifted into gear while powered upfit equipment (e.g., cranes and lifts) is deployed. Another new feature, Sub Compartment Lock, enables drivers to use a touchscreen button on the SYNC screen, door code, or key fob to lock and unlock compartments in which equipment or cargo is secured. This enables drivers to lock and unlock rear compartments without the use of physical keys.
Like the UIS, system, using embedded vehicle technology and the Ford Pro Telematics dashboard, Fleet Start Inhibit, lets fleet managers remotely disable the start on their vehicles. Managers can create recurring and one-time schedules or send inhibit and de-inhibit commands remotely to secure fleet vehicles from unauthorized use.
Similarly, the available Vehicle Security app found in the Ford Pro Fleet Marketplace also allows fleet managers to trigger a vehicle alarm remotely and create security alerts. These include alerts when a vehicle is started away from its last location or when a door is opened during certain time windows.
The Vehicle Security app found in the Ford Pro Fleet Marketplace also allows fleet managers to trigger a vehicle alarm remotely and create security alertsFord Pro
