NEXT #15 - AI that takes the pressure off. Processes that run on their own. A successful call for proposals.

In this issue, we talk with Fraunhofer about the future of fleet management, show how AI will also handle driver’s license verification in the Mobility Cloud starting in September, and provide a deeper look into our automation workflow in a video. In addition, many companies are currently launching their requests for proposals for new fleet management software; we’ll show you what matters most in this process and what steps lead to a successful software implementation. Enjoy the read!

Fraunhofer is one of Europe’s largest application-oriented research organizations. For this issue, we spoke with Thomas Schrodi and Theresa Strobel-Vogt from Fraunhofer IAO, as well as with Tobias Küchler, fleet manager at Fraunhofer IZS. At IZS, what many companies are still planning has already become a reality: a fleet consisting exclusively of pool vehicles, the majority of which are electric.

The discussion goes beyond mere vehicle management. Pool vehicles are seen as an obvious first step toward electrification because driving profiles can be analyzed centrally, making it possible to specifically identify trips that can already be made with electric vehicles today. This is complemented by concepts such as corporate carsharing, in which pool vehicles can also be used privately outside of work hours, and by the question of what additional planning variable—the charge level of an electric vehicle—brings to daily scheduling.

One statement from the conversation sums up the main challenge facing many fleets:

“In practice, we often see that companies either maintain too many vehicles or fail to recognize the potential for electrification because the actual usage profiles haven’t been analyzed thoroughly enough.”

In the full interview, the three also discuss why fleet vehicle systems are increasingly evolving into platforms for all aspects of corporate mobility, what role bidirectional charging will play in this going forward, and what companies actually need to ensure acceptance among their employees.

Read the full interview here!

In March, we were guests at the Autoflotte webinar “Megatrends Fleet 2026 – AI in the Fleet,” in front of nearly 200 participants, where we demonstrated how AI can help in the fleet: It takes over repetitive processes, freeing up time that fleet managers can use for strategic decisions instead of being tied down by routine tasks.

One of these routine tasks is driver’s license verification. Drivers need to be reminded, appointments tracked, and data maintained—and this has to be done repeatedly, depending on the verification interval. This is exactly where we’re stepping in.

At AZOWO, we’ve already integrated AI into many areas of the platform, and in September we’re taking it a step further with the AI driver’s license verification feature. It automatically compares submitted photos with previous, already verified images and verifies their authenticity without anyone having to review the images manually. Only the initial check is still performed manually, as it provides the foundation on which the AI then conducts further checks independently. What previously took about 20 minutes per check now takes just 3.

We’ll reveal exactly how this works in one of our upcoming issues. Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing our first insights soon.

👉 Available in the AZOWO Mobility Cloud starting in late September

Vehicle inspection appointments, lease terms, seasonal tire changes: These tasks come up every month. Each time, they must be initiated and tracked anew. That takes time—time that’s often in short supply in day-to-day fleet management.

The AZOWO Mobility Cloud’s automation workflow handles this automatically. Fleet managers define once what triggers a workflow: a fixed interval, a date, or an event such as a status change. They then specify what should happen next: a task, an email, or both. From then on, everything runs in the background—no programming knowledge required.

Typical use cases:

Annual inspection: A task is automatically created well in advance of the appointment

Tire change: A task is created for all affected vehicles at the change of seasons

Lease expiration: Task for vehicle return before the deadline

UVV inspection: A task for each driver at the appropriate time

Ready-made templates are available for these cases and can be customized. The result: up to 13 fewer hours of administrative work per month.

Find out more about the automation workflow here

For many fleet managers, fall is the time when new requests for proposals for fleet management software are issued. What stands out here is that the selection process rarely fails because of what’s available on the market, but rather because of a lack of preparation on their part.

A statement like “we need a vehicle management system” sounds specific, but leaves open whether a simple booking platform is intended or a system with automated driver’s license verification and claims management. It is precisely this gap that later results in proposals that are difficult to compare.

Furthermore, switching software is rarely just an IT issue. Fleet management has different priorities than IT, which focuses primarily on interfaces and data security, or procurement, which looks at contract terms. If an interface is missing—for example, to the existing SAP accounting system—bookings will have to be transferred manually after implementation, an extra burden that can be avoided.

A good indicator of gaps in your own requirements specification: questions from vendors. If several vendors independently ask the same question, this usually points to a gap in the requirements specification that can still be addressed before bids are submitted.

Those who are now tackling the RFP will find the AZOWO Guide, which outlines twelve steps from needs analysis to go-live, including a questionnaire with 50 questions for potential vendors.