Voice Assistants Help Truckers Take Hassle out of Record-Keeping

Every day they’re on the road, many professional truck drivers have to complete a driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) that documents that they inspected their vehicles, report any issues with it vehicle and document any repairs.

That typically involves a pen and paper or a typed-out report. But there’s another option.

“With Cerence, that process is totally automated by voice and drivers can streamline their day while still meeting all necessary regulations,” Joe Iacobelli, head of sales engineering, Americas at Cerence, told PYMNTS.

Enabling Drivers to Pay Attention to Their Surroundings

Voice assistance is one of several fleet management tools from Cerence that integrate into major fleet management systems. It incorporates voice-powered, proactive artificial intelligence (AI) into existing fleet workflows to automate some routine tasks.

“Voice also has been shown to be more efficient, especially with systems like Cerence that are predictive in nature and can anticipate what the user needs as well as proactively suggest next best actions,” Iacobelli said.

When drivers are on the road, voice assistance also provides a hands-free, non-distracting way to make phone calls, use the navigation system and make note of mechanical issues.

“One of the biggest advantages to using voice when on the roads is safety,” Iacobelli said. “By enabling drivers to keep their eyes up and pay attention to what’s going on around them — whether actively driving or pulled over near busy highway traffic — voice leads to less distraction and safer environments.”

Making Drives More Productive

Other companies have made similar observations about non-commercial drivers, noting that voice assistance provides a safer way for drivers to interact with their vehicles’ systems.

For example, Amazon has found that consumers especially want to be able to control navigation and music.

Read more: Smarter Voice Assistants Power ‘Future of Human-Vehicle Interaction’

“Voice technology shines in environments where you are occupied with other tasks,” Amazon wrote in a blog post, later adding, “voice can strip away the complexity, minimize distractions, and make your drive more connected, productive and entertaining.”

Integrating Workflows, Driving Efficiencies

Technology can also help keep fleet managers up to date on what’s happening with vehicles. Another component of Cerence’s fleet management creates a “digital twin” of a given truck in the cloud that gives managers instant insight into what the vehicle is doing — and what may go wrong with it.

“While providing a remote, real-time view of the truck and its systems, the data created by the digital twin can also create customized reports and alerts — from driver behavior scores, crash detection and geofencing to two and break-in alerts, maintenance reminders and even roadside assistance coordination,” Iacobelli said.

The demand for technologies like these is growing as fleets cope with a number of challenges.

“Fleet management companies are navigating increased congestion on the roads alongside growing driver burnout and high fuel prices, all while needing to meet the rising demand from customers for fast shipping,” Iacobelli said. “There is therefore an urgent need for technology that helps integrate workflows and drive efficiencies and cost-saving while also enabling safer, more productive driver experiences.”