Co-operative traffic management could speed up fleet journeys – FleetCheck

A co-operative approach to traffic management could speed up fleet journeys in the future if widely adopted, according to FleetCheck.

Changing from a “selfish” satnav model that concentrates on individual journeys to one that looks at the movement of all traffic could bring benefits in terms of time, emissions and overall efficiency, according to Neil Avent, chief technology officer.

He said: “Most in-car route optimisation systems today are designed to react to congestion after it has already started to build.

“They’re essentially reactive and the company car, van or truck driver is relying on tech that views each vehicle as an isolated problem rather than part of an overall network.

“What’s interesting about this paper is that it explores whether routing platforms can become more active participants in managing traffic across an entire network.

“We’ve seen a similar evolution in computer networking, where predictive traffic management has helped reduce bottlenecks and improve overall performance.

“As vehicle connectivity improves and technologies such as 5G become more widespread, it’s possible to imagine a future where vehicles automatically share information that allows traffic systems to spot developing congestion much earlier.

“Clearly, this would have substantial benefits for fleets in terms of faster journeys, lower fuel use and reduced emissions.”