Free telematics for Mercedes-Ben van fleets

Van fleet operators in Britain can take advantage of a free, three-year trial of telematics technology, thanks to a new sales promotion by Mercedes-Benz Vans. The light commercial vehicle manufacturer is offering its Mercedes PRO connect system free of charge for 36 months with all new purchases of Sprinter and Vito Tourer models.

Mercedes PRO connect is available across Europe, but the free offer is currently only available in the UK. The system monitors driver behaviour, capturing data on acceleration as well as harsh cornering and braking. Fleet managers can analyse the performance of their entire fleet as well as drilling down into individual journeys.

A taste of connectivity

The system gives fleets a taste of the growing connectivity of vehicles, and also includes Emergency Call System (eCall), GPS tracking, theft warnings, fuel economy monitoring, service monitoring and remote diagnostics.

Steve Bridge, managing director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, said: “With our new drive style monitoring solution software included as standard, company owners and vehicle managers can spend less time worrying about the vans and drivers, and more time therefore focused on their business and customers.”

Fleet industry support

The new programme won immediate support from the FTA, which represents the logistics sector in the UK.

“With more than 4.2 million vans on the UK’s roads, it is essential that van drivers operate their vehicles in a safe, efficient, and compliant manner,” said Mark Cartwright, head of vans and light commercial vehicles at FTA.

“The drive style monitoring solution will provide businesses with the toolkit they need to analyse driver behaviour and identify areas where improvement is needed.”

He added that he hopes other LCV manufacturers will follow the lead of Mercedes-Benz Vans and offer telematics free of charge.

The offer applies to all Sprinter and Vito models from May 2019 production, and can be retrofitted remotely to qualifying Sprinter and Vito models via ‘over-the-air’ software updates.