Skip to main content

Freight industry shifting toward a TaaS business model, say researchers

As the freight industry leaves behind traditional brokering practices to adopt digital and automated platforms, the connected truck telematics market is going through a period of intense evolution, according to the latest research from Frost & Sullivan. It claims digital freight matching solutions will bring about visibility in a disparate landscape, give rise to a truck-as-a-service (TaaS) business model and drive numerous partnerships. It is vital to be aware of key market developments, prime movers, and
February 22, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
As the freight industry leaves behind traditional brokering practices to adopt digital and automated platforms, the connected truck telematics market is going through a period of intense evolution, according to the latest research from 2097 Frost & Sullivan. It claims digital freight matching solutions will bring about visibility in a disparate landscape, give rise to a truck-as-a-service (TaaS) business model and drive numerous partnerships. It is vital to be aware of key market developments, prime movers, and the opportunities available to connected truck vendors in the original equipment (OE) and aftermarket.

Several maintenance management, compliance and safety solution providers have successfully ventured into core telematics to create a niche. Fleet management system providers will gradually evolve into one-stop solution providers of freight matching, video safety, tolling, fuel management, weigh-station bypass, and truck-stop solutions through alliances with digital solution vendors.

“While on-demand freight matching apps will disrupt the freight industry, apps with smaller revenue potential will offer efficiency, convenience and visibility to all industry stakeholders,” said Frost & Sullivan mobility research analyst Gokulnath Raghavan. “Freight mobility apps are adding driver utility and fleet optimisation features to increase traffic to freight-matching platforms. Consolidation and partnerships are expected to become common among app providers.”

The report, Global Connected Truck Telematics Outlook, 2017, indicates that by 2025, globally 63.5 million trucks will be connected. Emerging markets such as China and India will record a high telematics growth rate in 2017, closely followed by Southern Europe and North America.

The market is inundated with innovations, and many start-ups are targeting their R&D efforts at resolving the issue of under-utilised truck capacity. Following the resolution of this challenge, telematics can efficiently connect shippers and carriers based on real-time location and load capacity status of trucks.

“Applying open platform technology, an upshot of autonomous mobility trials, easier access to smartphones and cutting-edge technology will be the key drivers for the connected truck network in 2017,” noted Raghavan. “The growing importance of telematics and digital solutions will eventually change OEMs’ focus from truck-as-a-product to TaaS.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Web conference - impact of big data on the automotive industry
    December 3, 2013
    Frost & Sullivan is organising a web conference, entitled Impact of Big Data on the Automotive Industry, on Tuesday, 10 December 2013, at 3.00 pm GMT. Frost & Sullivan program manager, Niranjan Manohar and global practice director Automotive & Transportation, Sarwant Singh, will discuss emerging trends and opportunities for the big data automotive industry. Participants in this web conference will learn about key big data features and services, understand community, technological and other related chal
  • Vision 2020: Car sharing drives towards new heights
    November 14, 2014
    Frost & Sullivan's is holding an online complimentary Analyst Briefing to shed light on the key factors influencing car sharing growth in cities and the market size potential. The briefing starts at 0400 GMT on 20 November. Speakers are Frost & Sullivan Industry Principal (Mobility) Martyn Briggs and Zipcar general manager (UK) Mark Walker.
  • Favourable legislation essential for developing successful test sites, finds Frost & Sullivan
    May 26, 2016
    New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Global Test Sites and Incentive Programs for Automated Cars, finds unfavourable legislation in many parts of the world can delay the testing, validation and subsequent introduction of automated vehicle technologies by a few years. Despite the availability of advanced automated functional testing in several parts of the world, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and automotive technology providers favour North American test beds to the ones in Europe and Asia, says
  • The move towards shared telematics platforms
    February 27, 2013
    Is the end for dedicated, in-vehicle telematics systems now in sight? Some seemed to think so at the recent Telematics Munich 2012 conference… Geoff Hadwick reports. Forget smartphone apps – leave that sort of thing to Apple and Google,” Roger Lanctot, associate director of the global automotive practice at consultancy Strategy Analytics told more than 700 delegates in Munich last month at the Telematics Munich 2012 conference. They are a waste of time and money, he said. Forget putting too much data on das