Geotab’s annual Connect event returned to Florida from February 25-27, 2025, drawing telematics and fleet management professionals from around the world.
Over three days, industry leaders explored the future of data-driven mobility – from AI-powered telematics to innovations designed to make roads safer and fleets more efficient. The event was also a platform for major announcements, with Geotab outlining its vision for the evolving transport and logistics sector.
Amid the conversations and insights, Big Rigs spoke with David Brown, associate vice president of APAC, about the future of telematics in Australia and how Geotab is positioning itself to support the next generation of truck fleet management and transportation.
While Geotab’s network of 4.7 million connected vehicles globally is largely centred around North America, Brown says the telematics provider is leveraging similarities between the US and Australia to bring the latest technology to local truckies.
“In my opinion, Australia is quite similar to North America in terms of the industry itself – the real focus in both areas is on compliance,” Brown said.
“There are strong similarities between what we have done in North America, which remains the connected vehicle powerhouse, and what we are implementing in Australia, particularly around work diaries.
“But it’s not just about work diaries – it’s also about automating them electronically and ensuring compliance.”
In Australia, Brown says most people adopt telematics for just one or two specific purposes and don’t often look beyond them. Geotab’s focus has been on educating these customers that their telematics devices can be used in so many ways.
Whether it be making data easy to interpret or creating pre-built templates in its safety, maintenance and sustainability centres, these dashboards seek to open the local industry’s eyes to what else Geotab can do for the sector.
“There are a few barriers to what we’re trying to achieve, including the demographic of the Australian truck industry, but we believe education plays a role in helping them understand the benefits,” explained Brown.
“Implementing the technology is one thing, but knowing how to use it effectively and make actionable decisions is another challenge.
“It’s a challenge, as telematics itself is not new in Australian heavy transport, but what we’re doing with AI and other advancements is new.”
Another way in which Geotab is trying to enhance the use of telematics in the local trucking industry is through maintenance insights. By integrating data into Power BI, Geotab is making it simpler to push data through these platforms for major operators. Via these templates, businesses can quickly spot anomalies, drill down to the details and get a resolution fast, meaning key information is communicated quicker than before.
Brown added that the compliance side of technology adoption is also a major focus for Geotab within the APAC market. Currently, electronic work diaries aren’t yet mandated in Australia, meaning operators can still use manual versions. This means that compliance isn’t the sole reason why businesses adopt telematics devices in Australia.
From an occupational health and safety (OHS) perspective, telematics devices can help operators locate where their vehicles and drivers are at all times, to help adhere to Chain of Responsibility requirements.
It’s this secondary safety stream, alongside additional benefits, that Brown and the local Geotab team are focusing on when it comes to educating operators about the role that telematics can play in Australia.
“Compliance and safety remain key drivers, but more businesses are also starting to recognise the potential benefits of telematics beyond that, particularly in fuel cost savings,” Brown said.
“About a decade ago, telematics was seen as a surveillance tool. Today, it’s more about protection for drivers and using the technology to save money and improve efficiency.”
It’s this range of factors that Geotab is using to position its suite of solutions as a beneficial partner for many Australian truck operators.
“Moving forward in Australia, I think we’ll see less hardware in vehicles, so Geotab will keep providing an open platform that is easy to integrate with,” Brown said.
“We will keep educating operators to not be scared of telematics, because it’s there to save you money. Every single department within a business gets value from it. It’s going to save lots of money and give operators huge visibility and security over their fleet.”