Ashwoods Lightfoot® launches driver behaviour device into car fleet market
Exeter-based Ashwoods Lightfoot, the UK’s leading provider of in-cab driver efficiency systems for commercial van fleet operators, has today announced that it will be launching Lightfoot® to the car fleet sector, providing a proven and cost-effective solution to improving driver behaviour that reduces fuel costs, wear and tear, CO2 and accidents.
Its revolutionary in-cab driver behaviour device has successfully helped van fleet managers cut fuel bills by up to 20% whilst reducing accidents by as much as 60%. Recent trials on car fleets have shown similar benefits.
With up to one in three road crashes involving a vehicle being driven for work and around 200 road deaths and serious injuries involving someone at work each week1, Lightfoot is launching its car fleet solution to help fleet managers instantly modify driver behaviour, reducing the likelihood of avoidable accidents.
Lightfoot®, which has been developed as a radically different solution to traditional telematics, works by providing proactive, real-time feedback in-cab through both visual and voice prompts. These prompts proactively fix driver behaviour at source instantly reducing the volume of data that fleet managers have to analyse.
Lightfoot® is unlike traditional telematics products that provide ‘after the event’ data on driver behaviour. Instead, Lightfoot’s real-time approach directly influences driving style ‘in the moment’. It empowers drivers to modify driving styles in real time helping them to become second nature.
Lightfoot’s innovative and beautifully simple approach is possible because its team of engineers has developed a system that runs perfectly in tune with each vehicle’s engine, understanding the sweet spot that enhances optimum efficiency.
Lightfoot® changes driver behaviour by giving the driver two opportunities to remedy any short-term poor driving habits (indicated by warning prompts), resetting the gauge if an immediate improvement in driving style occurs. Only if a third warning prompt is received will a ‘driving event’ (or ‘violation’) be recorded and reported to the fleet manager. Although rare, by highlighting these violations fleet managers can quickly identify those drivers that would benefit from additional driver training to get the most efficiency from their vehicle and to reduce the likelihood of avoidable accidents.
Each week, Lightfoot® emails the fleet manager a straightforward table showing its drivers’ performance against the levels agreed with the fleet manager; the report itself requires no further analysis saving fleet managers significant amounts of time.
Mark Roberts, Managing Director of Ashwoods Lightfoot Ltd, commented: “Lightfoot® is first and foremost a training tool. Because the system puts the driver in control it often results in positive competition among drivers that want to be the most efficient and safest driver. Many of our clients reward and recognise their drivers for their performance, so it becomes a positive relationship where drivers constantly strive to improve their driving style. The result is more competent drivers, greater fuel savings, fewer accidents, reduced wear and tear, lower CO2 emissions, lower insurance premiums and virtually zero admin for the management team. It’s a win, win situation on multiple levels.”
Roberts added: “By directly influencing driver behaviour through instant in-car prompts we slash the amount of data received by fleet managers and we overcome the very real problem of time lag between driver action and management feedback; which occurs with traditional telematics. Instead, we improve driving style in the moment and our simple weekly report provides at-a-glance insights that are of immediate use and do not require fuller analysis.”
Lightfoot’s permanent in-car re-enforcement helps ensure optimal and sustained driving behaviour for the long-term. Time and again drivers stay above the level set by the management team, which means there are very few issues to deal with.
Lightfoot also has significant positive implications for Duty of Care as employees are given a tool that helps keep them and other road users safe, while drivers whose driving style needs improving can easily be identified.
For more information on Lightfoot® visit:
