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

  • Auto OEMs ‘focus on opportunities in infotainment, digital instruments’
    January 19, 2017
    One in every four passenger vehicles sold by 2025 is poised to feature digital instrument clusters, dedicated passenger infotainment systems, and integrated biometrics with bought-in device functionality, says Frost & Sullivan. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are tackling the design of components that are in line with fast-changing technology trends and customer expectations. “The luxury segment car of the future will have augmented reality HUD, OLED displays, interactive cabin doors and windows,
  • Long-range electric vehicles ‘set to gain popularity globally’
    April 22, 2015
    According to new analysis from Frost & Sullivan, the global electric vehicles (EV) market has made huge progress, with more than 55 models now available globally. Currently, over 70 per cent of the models on the market are battery EVs (BEVs) and approximately 25 per cent are plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs). Nevertheless, the number of PHEVs is likely to increase over the next three to four years. The market will see greater demand for longer-range vehicles that allow customers to drive up to and past the pure EV
  • New revenue streams from smartphones for European vehicle manufacturers
    March 14, 2012
    According to a study by Frost & Sullivan, vehicle manufacturers (VMs) in Europe and North America have stepped up their game in response to the smartphone threat. Most of them have flooded the market with free apps focusing on areas such as customer relationship management (CRM) and breakdown assistance, while others have created value-added apps such as remote start/stop.
  • Imaging technologies to reduce driver distraction ‘expected to gain traction by 2020’
    July 21, 2015
    Frost and Sullivan’s latest report indicates that following a series of high-technology head up display (HUD) roll-outs, the automotive industry appears keen to adopt the imaging technology with the widest field of view (FOV) of up to 12 degrees x 5 degrees. Another HUD product feature to improve considerably is the brightness of virtual images, which increased up to 15000cd/m², even with lower power consumption. Digital light processing (DLP) and laser display are emerging as compelling alternatives to the