MERCEDES-BENZ Vans will offer an innovative digital vehicle management system as part of its push to introduce more mobility and connected services for its commercial vehicle range, and it looks set to be rolled out in Australia.

The newly-formed service sub-brand, Mercedes Pro, brings together all existing and future service systems and offers relating to “the business environment of van customers”.

An online platform allows users to have a single point of access for various tailor-made transport solutions for Mercedes-Benz Vans products.

Real Pro: With Mercedes Pro Connect, fleet managers will be able to monitor the progress of vehicles in the fleet in real time.

The platform is set to go live online in the first half of 2017 and can be accessed using a personal ID at a dedicated website.

Benz says that over time the functions will further develop with newer connectivity, mobility and fleet solutions the company believes will go “well beyond the classic van requirements”.

Speaking to GoAuto at the recent unveiling of the Concept X-Class utility in Sweden, Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia managing director Diane Tarr said the company was moving beyond just selling vans, and added that she hoped the system would roll out Down Under soon.

“We are quickly moving from being a van supplier to a supplier of innovative solutions to help our customers optimise their business processes and ultimately reduce costs,” she said.

“Mercedes-Benz Pro connect will be an innovative tool which we hope to offer our customers in Australia. As you can appreciate these systems take time to implement and we don’t have a firm date but we’re heading in the right direction.”

GoAuto understands that Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia has its hands up to be a part of a trial of the system, but it is unclear whether this will happen.

One of the key parts of the Mercedes Pro platform is the web-based Pro Connect service, which also launches globally in early 2017, and is designed with small and large fleets in mind.

The service allows fleet managers within companies to be constantly linked to all vehicles and drivers through the vehicle management tool, thanks to a location-based onboard SIM card in each vehicle.

Fleet managers are able to control orders online while also having the ability at any time to query a vehicle’s location, fuel levels and other vehicle information in real time.

The maintenance intervals for each individual vehicle are also available as part of the vehicle health section, with warnings for nearing or overdue service appointments. Bookings for a service at the preferred Mercedes-Benz Vans dealership is also available through the system.

Things such as average speed and fuel economy is also viewable by the fleet manager who can even see if the driver is wearing a seatbelt.

To help lower fuel consumption, challenges can be set to see which driver can record the lowest fuel use figures.

Managers can categorise drivers and vans by group on their system.

Drivers can communicate with the fleet manager via an application on their phone. For those concerned about privacy, all data belongs to the customer.

Benz says Pro Connect will increase the availability of vehicles and allow managers to be constantly aware of all vehicles in the fleet.

It also says the system will “open up the potential for cost savings, enhance sustainability and safety in vehicle operation”.

Some services will be free of charge while others will be paid, but the company is yet to announce what will have a cost attached.

Mercedes Pro Connect covers ten different services at the market launch:

• Maintenance Management: information on upcoming maintenance, with simple online scheduling

• Vehicle Supervision: efficient fleet management through the transmission, processing and analysis of vehicle data and a selection of vehicle warnings, minimisation of vehicle downtime

• Vehicle Operations: Transfer of vehicle locations in real time, display of and setting up geofences

• Fleet Communication: sending of messages, addresses and contacts between the vehicle management tool and the Driver’s App

• Digital Driver’s Log: automatic recording of tours, distances, start/destination addresses for tours, analysis of tours based on work-related and private reasons

• Eco Monitor: combined display of resource- and environment-related vehicle data to analyse driver behaviour and fleet efficiency

• Eco Coach: vehicle and driver-related analysis function for factors relating to fuel consumption, gamification as positive incentive for a driving style that, among other things, reduces fuel consumption

• Theft & Asset Management: support in case of vehicle theft and identification of fuel theft

• Safety Monitor: combined display of safety-relevant driver and vehicle data

• Safety Coach: vehicle- and driver-related analysis function for factors that impact on safety

By Tim Nicholson in Stockholm