Leasing in the 'Big Society'

Cameron: Service Reforms

Writing in The Telegraph today, David Cameron outlined his vision for the future of public services. At first glance, phrases promising “the decisive end of the old-fashioned, top-down, take-what-you're-given model of public services” seem difficult to decipher, but what is clear is that outsourcing in the public sector, including fleet services, is set to increase.

The Prime Minister goes further in suggesting that services should be offered at the ‘lowest level’ to ensure best value for money. This change towards more specialised and flexible procurement is potentially a big opportunity for both the automotive leasing industry and public sector organisations.

Initiatives such as salary sacrifice are innovative ways of reducing overheads and offering a greater employee benefits package without reducing staff numbers. Similarly, outsourcing provides numerous advantages to public sector bodies seeking to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

The greatest challenge for fleet services providers is to present the case for the most competitive and innovative solutions to public sector challenges.

The Future of Accident Prevention

Every fleet manager dreams of an accident-free fleet, but due to the fact that human beings are involved in driving, it has never quite been a reality. Traditional logic suggests that the easiest way of reducing the number of accidents on the roads would be to limit driver control, but this would often remove the flexibility offered by driving a fully autonomous fleet vehicle.

The BBC has revealed new developments in accident-prevention technology that don’t seek to limit the driver, but instead revolve around some remarkable in-car tech. Imagine a car windscreen that could enhance your vision or brakes that can apply themselves before the driver even realises they are in danger. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but both of these technologies, amongst a plethora of others, are already in development.

Technology has an important role to play in safety, and enormous strides have already been taken. If they can be integrated in a cost effective fashion, then these developments could be as important as the three-point seatbelt, or the airbag. But, whilst we certainly look forward to the mass market adoption of next generation safety technologies, we recognise that even those that exist in test scenarios are years away from general availability.

Through our close relationships with major vehicle manufacturers we keep abreast of these developments and monitor progress, and will always ensure the best new technology is available to our fleet buyers. However, in the meantime, we continue to emphasise the importance of regular maintenance, driver training and well defined motor and travel policies as critical to safer driving.