NEXT #13: Fleetmanagement under control: What really make a difference in 2026

This issue is all about collaboration, innovation, and smart processes in fleet management. We report on the start of planning for the next AZOWO NEXT Day, share our impressions from Bosch ConnectedWorld in Berlin, and introduce the new automation module of the AZOWO Mobility Cloud. We also take a look at the latest Arval Fleet and Mobility Barometer, which shows that while many companies have valuable fleet data, its potential is still far too rarely tapped. Enjoy the read!

Last November, we added a new event to our customers’ calendars with the first AZOWO NEXT Day at Motorworld Warthausen. Three fleet management professionals spoke candidly during a panel discussion about their day-to-day work, digitalization, and e-mobility, and the event also featured presentations and plenty of time for participants to network.

In retrospect, it became clear that this exchange among colleagues was the most important part of the day for many participants. During breaks and conversations, connections were formed with other fleet managers grappling with similar challenges—whether in digitizing existing processes or making the transition to e-mobility. Anyone who attended quickly realized that their own challenges are rarely unique, and solutions that work for others can often be directly applied. It was precisely this networking among fleet managers that was most frequently mentioned in the feedback following the event.

That’s why there will be another edition in 2027. Planning for NEXT 2.0 has begun, once again with ample opportunity for networking, along with presentations on current topics in fleet management. Details on the date, location, and program will follow in upcoming issues.

Two days in Berlin, a packed schedule: Bosch ConnectedWorld is one of the most important industry gatherings for AI, IoT, and digital transformation. On stage were executives, CTOs, and founders from VW, Bosch, Microsoft, Google Cloud, NVIDIA, AWS, and Anthropic, offering concrete insights into how AI is already transforming business models today.

For AZOWO, this was more than just inspiration: We’re already actively integrating AI into the AZOWO Mobility Cloud—for example, in document management—and are continuously expanding this area. Just as valuable as the on-stage program was the direct exchange with our partners. Such conversations help us understand where the industry is headed and what that means for our platform. The BCW offers one of the best settings for this

Fleet managers spend a significant portion of their time initiating tasks that the system should actually be handling. Following up on TÜV appointments, keeping track of lease expirations, and manually monitoring maintenance intervals. These are processes that repeat month after month and yet still require active attention time and again. And when these tasks get lost in the daily grind, it leads to exactly the situations no one wants: a vehicle that breaks down unexpectedly, a driver without a replacement vehicle, or a deadline that’s running out.

This is where the new automation module of the AZOWO Mobility Cloud comes in. Triggers, conditions, and actions are defined once, and then the system takes over: tasks are created automatically, the right people are notified, and deadlines are met. This works without any programming knowledge and without external tools. To get started, ready-made templates are available that can be adopted directly or customized to fit your own workflows.

According to the Arval Fleet and Mobility Barometer 2026, only 17 percent of the companies surveyed systematically use telematics data in their fleets, even though many have had this data available for quite some time. This is not a technical problem, but a structural one: data flows into the system, but not into decision-making.

Yet the data is the foundation of every fleet decision. Whether vehicles are replaced on time, costs are managed effectively, or lease agreements are negotiated optimally—all of this depends on whether the right data is available, complete, and accurate at the right time. If it is missing, decisions are made based on estimates. The consequences often only become apparent during the annual report or cost analysis, when incorrect mileage reports, misallocated invoices, or incomplete vehicle records significantly limit the validity of the analysis.

In the AZOWO Mobility Cloud, data collection is automated at central points. Live data—via direct OEM integration or an OBD-II dongle—transmits mileage, fuel level, charge status, and maintenance alerts in real time directly into the system. The AI-powered document management system automatically parses incoming invoices, traffic violation notices, and registration certificates, assigns them to the correct vehicles and cost centers, and automatically identifies all listed vehicles in consolidated invoices. The resulting dataset also serves as the foundation for what we’re currently working on at AZOWO: an AI assistant that not only manages data but also actively works with it.