Volvo shows the use of connected trucks to avoid unexpected standstills

Unexpected standstills are a true plague for road transporters : apart from the difficulty for the driver, the reparation costs and the loss in revenue, they can affect their reputation. « The transport sector works with few margins, the unexpected standstills highly affect transport companies», sums up Hayder Wokil, Director Quality and Uptime, Volvo Trucks.

An unexpected standstill costs at least 1000€ in average

According to the truck manufacturer, the average costs of an unexpected standstill for a transport company in Europe is about 1.000 euros. This amount includes towing and reparations, the administrative costs, the possible fines and the loss of revenue but doesn't include the destroyed cargo or the later revenue loss due to an eared reputation.

Simulations from real users data

However, according to a study from Volvo Trucks, « it is possible to reduce the number of unexpected standstills by 80% if the truck is serviced in time and in response to actual needs», says Hayder Wokil. This exhaustive study is based on real users' data from 3.500 Volvo vehicles for five years, that drove 120.000 km a year. After having collecting these data, the « Advanced Technology & Research » service from Volvo started simulations, in order to find what could reduce the number of unexpected standstills.

Connected vehicles could avoid standstills

The main solution for Volvo Trucks is in the truck's connectivity, that is to be able to predict maintenance needs by adapting the maintenance to each vehicle. With this connectivity, a workshop technician can remotely monitor exactly how the truck is being used in real time, schedule maintenance well in advance before something breaks down, or order spare parts in advance. He can also postpone a scheduled service if the technician can see that the truck's components are subject to less wear than expected.

In the end, with connectivity, unexpected standstills could be reduced to zero, according to the truck manufacturer, who reminds us that the  Volvo FH, Volvo FH16, Volvo FM, Volvo FMX, and the Volvo VN, Volvo VHD and  Volvo VM ranges can be connected to this Volvo Trucks service.