RAC and Continental Automotive launch telematics partnership for fleet and business vehicle operators

The RAC’s dedicated telematics division, RAC Connected, is offering business vehicle operators a safer and more efficient method of fleet management through a new partnership with Continental Automotive.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Continental Automotive customers can choose from the RAC’s suite of telematics products, all of which help fleet managers reduce vehicle running costs.

One of these is the matchbox-sized ConnectOne, which simply plugs into vehicles’ 12v sockets to track trips, locations and driver behaviour. All this data, which is displayed in the RAC Telematics app, can be used to optimise routes taken by drivers and to coach staff on improving their fuel economy and reducing vehicle wear and tear.

Complementing ConnectOne is Connect360, which requires professional fitting but provides an even greater depth of vehicle data for fleet managers, including notifying drivers of dangers on the road, sharing real-time speeding and crash detection alerts as well as vehicle fault tracking.

Connect360 also features the RAC’s CCTV dashcam technology, which captures forward, rear-view and live-streams from vehicles, monitors drivers’ gestures using artificial intelligence technology for signs of fatigue, and scans the road ahead for dangers. The combination of dashcam footage, AI driver gesture monitoring and telematics data provides fleet managers with a powerful understanding of any incident which may occur.

Continental Automotive will offer RAC Connected telematics solutions to car fleets and passenger vehicles, Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) and Heavy Goods Vehicle fleets (HGVs).

RAC head of Telematics and Connected Solutions Geraint Jones said: “Securing this contract with Continental Automotive is a huge milestone for us as we can now offer even more businesses a bespoke and affordable solution to fleet management.

“Using Continental’s channels, vehicle operators can easily benefit from the host of data and insights RAC Connected products provide – whether that’s an improved understanding of vehicle health, to minimise downtime for maintenance or to check road safety alerts that keep drivers safe. Having better visibility of a fleet also means reducing costs in the long-run, which organisations can easily monitor through the RAC Connected smartphone or web-based app.

“Combining more than 280 years in the motoring industry, we have complete trust in Continental scaling our telematics products to keep even more fleets safe on the roads.”

Continental Automotive’s Head of CSV Sales and Marketing UK, Ben Klarich said: "We are thrilled to bring RAC's cutting-edge telematics to the UK commercial vehicle industry. This partnership represents a significant step forward in our commitment to enhancing fleet efficiency, safety, and compliance across the sector. By combining both Continental Automotive and the RAC's industry expertise, we aim to deliver unparalleled value to our customers and empower them to optimise their operations."