Ford Pro Reveals Advanced Vehicle Management Solutions for Next-Generation Fleet Operations

Ford Pro, a dedicated division for commercial vehicles within Ford Motor Company, has recently revealed various innovative software and technology features that provide fleet managers with enhanced visibility and control over their commercial vehicles. These cutting-edge tools are designed to help fleet managers reduce risk and optimize vehicle performance, enabling them to make informed decisions about how their fleet is operated.

Vehicle Management to the Next Level

Ford Pro is an innovative and revolutionary platform offering various commercial solutions to simplify and optimize fleet management. The platform uses real-time vehicle data seamlessly integrated into the Ford Pro Intelligence platform, providing fleet managers with valuable insights into vehicle performance and equipment usage. With advanced features and capabilities, Ford Pro empowers fleet managers to take control of their fleets like never before.

One of Ford Pro’s most exciting features is its telematics system with dashcam. The platform now offers integrated video telematics using a cloud-connected dashcam from Lytx, a leading provider of dashcams. This new solution has two lenses that capture road-facing and in-cab footage, delivering insights based on the customer’s subscription level and business needs. The data is stored within the Ford Pro Intelligence platform for 30 days, during which customers can retrieve and view it at any moment within that time frame.

The dashcam’s outward-facing lens records footage that can provide important evidence in the case of an on-the-job incident. To avoid a road hazard, it can also capture context related to vehicle alerts or driving events, such as harsh braking. This footage can be used to coach drivers on compliant driving habits and strengthen cases against insurance claims, which is particularly relevant since auto insurance premiums increased by 17 percent in the first half of 2023.

To observe and minimize distracted driving, the driver-facing lens captures behavior such as smoking, drinking, or cell phone usage. Events like speeding, airbag deployment, or failure to wear a seatbelt will trigger the system to begin recording. This feature provides fleet managers with valuable insights into the behavior of their drivers and can help them take corrective actions when necessary.

Another noteworthy feature of Ford Pro is the Upfit Integration System (UIS). This system simplifies upfitting commercial vehicles by eliminating the need for aftermarket modules, hard switches, and secondary control panels. With UIS, upfitters can create logic to prevent the vehicle from being shifted into gear while powered upfit equipment, such as cranes and lifts, is deployed. The Sub Compartment Lock feature enables drivers to use a touchscreen button on the SYNC screen, door code, or key fob to lock and unlock compartments in which equipment or cargo is secured. This gives drivers the ability to lock and unlock rear compartments without the use of physical keys.

Fleet Start Inhibit is another powerful feature of Ford Pro that allows fleet managers to disable the start on their vehicles remotely. Managers can create recurring and one-time schedules or send inhibit and de-inhibit commands remotely to secure fleet vehicles from unauthorized use. The Vehicle Security app found in the Ford Pro Fleet Marketplace also allows fleet managers to trigger a vehicle alarm remotely and create security alerts. These include alerts when a vehicle is started away from its last location or when a door is opened during certain time windows.

Ford Pro’s connected vehicle technology is powered by the modem embedded in Ford vehicles or Plug-in Devices (PID) on 2015 or older Ford models or non-Ford vehicles. Activating these modems is essential to accessing these telematics features and realizing their benefits. After a landscaping business in California had an upfitted vehicle full of specialized tools stolen, the Ford Pro team remotely activated the vehicle’s telematics to quickly locate the vehicle and equipment, preventing the potential loss of $200,000 in vehicle and equipment and minimizing business disruption.

Kenny Ross Ford South

Ford Pro provides a wide range of solutions for commercial and government clients. These solutions include vehicles, charging facilities, software, financing options, and after-sales services. Ford Pro incorporates advanced features like telematics with a dashcam, Upfit Integration System (UIS), Fleet Start Inhibit, and the Vehicle Security app. These features are designed to transform the way fleet managers manage their fleets. If you want to learn more about Ford Pro’s always-on, connected customer experience, please visit Kenny Ross Ford South.