TELEMATICS SOLUTIONS FOR SUCCESS IN AGRICULTURE

Agricultural businesses are increasingly investing in telematics solutions to optimise fleet management and improve operations

Agriculture extends beyond farming and crop production, it also includes other operational considerations such as asset management and business pro tability.

As the size and sophistication of today’s farms and commercial agribusinesses increase, agricultural professionals are turning to telematics solutions that provide eet optimisation tools to improve ef ciency, safety, pro tability and day-to-day operations.

Many farmers and commercial agribusinesses were early adopters of telematics technology. Today, telematics technology is readily available to farmers challenged with managing their expanding lines of agricultural machinery and equipment, whether in the eld, the farm shop or anywhere else. Fleet management solutions provide a new set of eyes, offering farmers both short- and long-term bene ts.

A CLIENT-CENTRIC BUSINESS

MiX Telematics develops and implements connected fleet and mobile asset management solutions for customers across the globe. We focus our energy on creating hardware and software that is specific to our customers’ requirements and aim to build long-term partnerships.

As a global SaaS provider of connected eet management solutions, MiX Telematics has introduced an affordable asset tracking and driver management solution suitable for small- to medium-sized agribusinesses.

MiX Essential Solutions is designed for eets with varying assets and can monitor assets and equipment no matter the size of equipment or how the equipment is being used. A tractor working in the eld can be monitored throughout the day just as easily as a eet of produce trucks delivering to warehouses in various locations.

In the agricultural industry, preventing equipment and vehicle breakdowns is always a top priority, particularly during busy times such as harvest season. Implementing a telematics solution allows for monitoring farm machinery and road vehicles, allowing farmers to collect data for analysis to improve the ef ciency of vehicle and equipment use and mitigate the theft thereof. In addition, it plays an essential role in maintaining machines and equipment, ensuring that they are always functional and in optimal condition.

The data is easy-to-understand and allows you to see what your assets and drivers are doing at any given time via the online web platform and mobile app.

Fleet owners can view reports for everything, from where a vehicle or asset is, how a driver is driving that vehicle, how much it has been used and even get camera footage from our AI-powered, stand-alone dashcam solution. Reports are also available for driver scoring, maintenance intervals, fuel usage and cost analysis breakdowns.

The commercial fleet solutions are built around a web-based software platform and mobile applications, supported by in-vehicle hardware and peripheral accessories. On-demand software services enhance vehicle performance and improve driver safety, fleet security, efficiency, sustainability, and compliance.

At the core of the suite of solutions is the MiX Fleet Manager Essential online platform, comprising a sophisticated onboard computer that collects and transmits valuable vehicle and driver data. Driving events such as harsh braking, speeding, harsh cornering, and impact events are recorded, giving eet owners insight into data regarding where a vehicle is, how a driver is operating that vehicle and how much it has been used – all factors that directly impact asset wear-andtear and costs.

Part of the suite of solutions is MiX Essential Asset Tracking, an automatic, electronic registry of assets, their statuses and whereabouts so that they can be located or tracked on a map in real-time, improving the control, visibility, and productivity of assets. This solution is suitable for nonvehicle assets, whether mobile or xed, with or without a power source. It offers all the bene ts of a fully integrated eet management solution to monitor and protect assets as they move between worksites.

Agribusiness operations with eets can now also implement AI dashcam technology to visually monitor drivers.

The MiX Vision AI Stand-alone Dashcam solution provides camera footage with basic telematics data accessible via the online platform without the need to install additional hardware. The AI-powered dashcam is enabled with Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) giving the driver real-time coaching feedback on the trip, and the ability to review performance after the trip.

The in-cab and road-facing cameras help prevent collisions, alert drivers to risky driving behaviour and save on insurance costs from wrongful claims against drivers with the power of video footage available of incidents.

Additional bene ts of implementing the Essential Solutions include fuel monitoring of agricultural machinery, which provides opportunities for detecting fuel overconsumption and mitigating fuel theft. GPS tracking of assets provides information on the location of vehicles, movement direction and route. Machinery misuse and inappropriate usage for private purposes can be monitored. The ability to add alerts for scheduled maintenance and repairs helps maintain the condition of equipment and vehicles and prevents breakdowns during peak seasons. Your entire operational data is stored on a single SaaS platform that securely and reliably helps you to run a more ef cient and productive agribusiness.

MiX Telematics puts the ability to make datainformed decisions in real-time into the palm of your hands, helping you to keep vehicles and equipment well maintained and drivers on track and safe from preventable accidents.

“The light eet solution provides the perfect balance of functionality and usability that is ideal for small businesses that may not have a full-time eet manager and require multiple employees to utilise the online platform,’’ says MiX Telematics Africa Fleet Sales Director

Henry Smith. “Users can view live tracking, various dashboards and reports, including vehicle utilisation, driver scoring, fuel usage and cost analysis breakdowns via the web and mobile app. This easy-to-understand telematics data provides actionable intelligence for informed decision-making –saving time and money,” Smith concludes.

Businesses that want to improve the productivity of their eets cannot afford not to invest in a functional and cost-effective eet management solution, especially one compatible with a range of services, addons, and accessories. Partnering with an experienced telematics partner that offers solutions that can be tailored to your growing business needs ensures that your eet is not just busy, but also productive, which directly contributes to your bottom line.

No matter how big or small your eet is, the vehicles or assets you own, we have the expertise to solve your unique challenges and upgrade your eet operations using state-of-the-art data collection methods and intelligent reporting.

Contact MiX Telematics today to nd out how our always-on solutions can help you achieve tangible results in your agribusiness.

For more information: +27 11 654 8000 eetsa@mixtelematics.com www.mixtelematics.com/za