![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/manpreet_rana2_0.jpg\"\/)
Predictive maintenance <\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not the technology that\u2019s important, but what the technology enables us to do,\u201d says Manpreet Rana, Vice President, Fleet Care and Logistics, Element Fleet Management.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s helping us to get a vehicle back on the road more quickly, avoid unnecessary repairs, and supporting specialist mechanics to make better decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
The technology in question is DigiAdvisor, which applies artificial intelligence to data from connected vehicles, and Element\u2019s fleet management experience.<\/p>\n
Smart beats size in fleet data <\/p>\n
With a giant fleet of\u00a0over 1 million vehicles in North America, Element is capturing data from 10,000 service and maintenance jobs every day. But it\u2019s not the volume of this data that matters, so much as how it provides the foundation for better decision making by bringing the riches of this information together in one place.<\/p>\n
DigiAdvisor mines Element\u2019s data, connecting and cross-referencing it with vehicle telemetry, diagnostics, warranties and pricing to guide the decisions made by the company\u2019s team of 150 ASE\u00a0(Automotive Service Excellence) qualified mechanics.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are sitting on a huge, rich database, and when you combine it with telematics diagnostics it\u2019s very powerful,\u201d said Rana (pictured below).<\/p>\n
Predictive maintenance <\/p>\n
The system can identify, for example, that a particular make and model of vehicle operating in a specific geography typically needs new brake pads at a certain mileage. If one of these\u00a0vehicles visits a workshop for other work, a few weeks before it reaches this mileage threshold, Element\u2019s mechanics can discuss with their customers whether to change the brake pads as well, sacrificing a little wear for the larger saving of avoiding the downtime and business disruption of a second garage visit.<\/p>\n
“Fleet operators are not struggling to access data. Their challenge is to turn fragmented information into timely, confident decisions,” said Rana.<\/p>\n
He suggests that many people are asking the wrong questions about AI<\/a>, wanting the technology to reduce costs, when a more fruitful question would be to ask how AI can support a smarter operating model.<\/p>\n Faster decision making <\/p>\n For Element, DigiAdvisor is enabling the earlier identification of potential issues. All fleet operators will be aware of how a missed maintenance issue led to unscheduled downtime, or how slow authorisation of maintenance jobs can keep a driver waiting and a vehicle off the road.<\/p>\n The new system is also accelerating decision making, spotting recurring maintenance problems, and supporting tighter control of warranty claims.<\/p>\n