Openreach has teamed up with fleet telematics leader Geotab to deploy connected vehicle technology across its fleet of more than 23,000 cars and vans.

The partnership aims to significantly boost driver safety and support the company’s net-zero ambitions, while slashing downtime.

Openreach operates the UK’s second largest commercial fleet, and its engineers drive millions of miles every year to build and maintain the country’s digital network. Driving is one of the highest risk activities undertaken by Openreach people, making road safety a key priority.

Volunteer engineers are already testing the technology in an early adopter phase, helping to validate the user experience and assess how richer vehicle data can build a safer, greener and more efficient fleet. When proved successful, the technology will be deployed across the company’s fleet.

The data will provide enhanced insights into vehicle performance, helping identify potential maintenance issues before they lead to breakdowns and minimising unplanned downtime. Openreach will also use the data to better understand fuel consumption, vehicle utilisation and opportunities to support its transition to lower-emission vehicles.

The driving data is shared directly with drivers via an intuitive app, allowing them to understand their own driving behaviours, self-correct where needed and proactively upgrade their safety skills.

The technology has been designed with employee privacy in mind and includes controls that limit data collection outside working hours.

Judy O’Keefe, director of fleet management, said: “Our engineers rely on their vehicles every day to keep people and businesses connected. We have worked with the CWU and Prospect, our recognised trade unions on this trial, which will help us better understand how our fleet is performing so we can improve safety, reduce downtime and provide our colleagues with the best possible support.

“By giving us earlier visibility of potential vehicle issues and better insight into how our fleet operates, this technology can help create a safer, more efficient and more sustainable fleet for the future.”

Aaron Jarvis, vice president EMEA at Geotab, commented: “Openreach operates a nationwide fleet in all conditions, delivering the critical connectivity that powers the UK. We have collaborated closely to ensure our solution was rigorously validated by both leadership and the engineers who depend on driving for their daily roles.

“Throughout this journey, Openreach’s unwavering commitment to workforce safety and trust has been second to none. This has been evidenced by their deliberate approach to technology selection and the proactive engagement with their drivers which will continue via this trial. Establishing this foundation of trust is just as vital as the insights generated by the data, and we are proud to be a part of their ambitions.”