• Businesses of all sizes must close a ‘Commercial Vehicle Data Gap’ that means many miss out on transformational opportunities, according to a new report commissioned by Ford Pro
• The survey of 3,000 van drivers and 150 fleet managers across Europe and the US was designed to enhance understanding of customer behaviour, attitudes towards vehicle data
• The ‘Closing the Commercial Vehicle Data Gap’ report finds that many fleet managers and nine in 10 small business drivers are not well informed as to how data can help productivity
• More than a third of van drivers and a quarter of fleet managers are not monitoring data daily, missing significant opportunities. The majority cite data privacy as a concern   
• Ford Pro helps keep fleets on the road with a connected ecosystem of software, services, and solutions – including telematics, charging hardware and software and software solutions that support businesses productivity

DUNTON, UK, Sept. 16, 2025 – The Ford Transit is famously the backbone of Britain, and with van-related enterprises contributing €1 trillion to the European and UK economy,¹ commercial vehicles are the backbone of business. More than 29.5 million vans ² are on Europe’s roads and by 2028 almost as many commercial vehicles will be fitted with modems,³ yet businesses are failing to maximise the value of the data generated. They are missing out on saving time and money.

A lack of expertise in how to make good use of a vehicle or fleet’s data – particularly acute among small businesses – and security concerns are the key findings of a significant new report commissioned by Ford Pro.

“Closing the Commercial Vehicle Data Gap” was commissioned to better understand customer behaviour and attitudes towards vehicle data, based on a survey of 3,000 van drivers and 150 fleet managers across Europe and the US.⁴ It highlights three “gaps”:

• Value: 46 per cent of van drivers and 25 per cent of fleet managers do not make daily use of vehicle health data – to schedule an urgent service for example – despite it being their main priority during day-to-day operations
• Education: less than a third of van drivers (32 per cent) and just over half of fleet managers (57 per cent) know “a lot” about how their data can help save time and money, falling to 10 per cent for Small Businesses
• Data Privacy: This is a concern for 94 per cent of drivers and 97 per cent of managers across Europe and the US

By monitoring daily the wide range of data that a vehicle with a modem can collect, fleet managers are better able to be alerted to or predict maintenance needs, while a Ford Authorised Repairer can proactively order any necessary parts to maximise fleet uptime. Ford Pro can also ensure that fleet managers keep track of vehicles to optimise route planning, get real-time security alerts and even offer in-vehicle coaching to optimise driver performance. Ford Pro has estimated that businesses can reduce van downtime by 60 per cent by smarter vehicle maintenance and monitoring.⁵

“Connected vehicle data is the lifeblood of commercial vehicle efficiency. Like a fitness tracker for your fleet, it helps optimise vehicle and driver performance by providing both real-time updates and cumulative data for deeper analysis and richer insight,” said Hans Schep, general manager, Ford Pro, Europe. “This new research has shown that there is a gap which separates the savviest in our business, who have seized the opportunity presented by connected data to save time and money, from those still relying exclusively on traditional management tools and not unlocking its potential. As an industry, we need to close this gap – and fast.”

In 2025, connected vehicle data is powering rapid transformation right across the commercial vehicle sector. Berg Insight forecasts a big increase in active fleet management systems in Europe – from 16.3 million units in 2023 to a projected 27.6 million by 2028.³ Ford Pro is dedicated to delivering software, charging, service and finance solutions to commercial vehicle customers to accelerate their productivity. It is also at the forefront in active fleet management systems, with 24 per cent growth globally in paid subscriptions in Q2 of 2025 year-over-year, reaching 757,000.

Across Europe and the US, 94 per cent of van drivers and 97 per cent of fleet managers have shown they harbour privacy concerns over the safety of their data. That said, the report also highlighted that compared with other data-tracking software, commercial vehicles are most likely to be trusted, ahead of mobile phones, laptops, passenger cars and household devices.

This year Ford Pro earned the ISO 27001 certification, the internationally recognised standard for how a company should safely protect and manage  customer data. As a company, Ford does not sell customer data and is also the only manufacturer to have an icon that shows when a driver is sharing data, which appears on the vehicle screen.

“Data security isn’t just a feature at Ford Pro; it’s a foundational principle,” said Jeremy Gould, director, Ford Pro Intelligence, Europe. “The industry needs to better explain the true value represented by today’s connected vehicle data. Our role at Ford Pro is to ensure that customers feel comfortable giving us access to their data so that they can really start to enjoy the benefits it can deliver.”

The report makes clear that the “gaps” are most pronounced for SMEs. This is especially concerning given that in Europe, Ford Pro previously highlighted that such companies account for 99 per cent of businesses, with commercial vehicles contributing around €1 trillion to GDP across Europe, according to its recent report with the Centre for Economic and Business Research.¹

“We're empowering vehicle operators with the tools they need to harness the power of data for their businesses,” Schep said. “Our mission is to make running your commercial vehicles as easy and hassle-free as possible by putting everything our customers need in one place. The Ford Pro Intelligence platform leverages data from vehicle components, sensors, dashcams and electric vehicle chargers to deliver a comprehensive overview of a fleet’s operations – at a glance, round the clock.”

Case study – Lloyds British

Lloyds British uses its fleet of Transit Customs to provide safety, compliance and productivity across clients’ plant equipment. It utilises Ford Pro Telematics Essentials to maintain fleet productivity and ensure maximum vehicle uptime. They are able to log into the system securely to see live vehicle data that enables them to use Ford Pro’s Mobile Service team to repair, service, and recall their vehicles, at a time and location that is beneficial to its engineers – helping to save up to 60 days of van uptime per year across its 70-van fleet.

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¹ The Economics of Commercial Van Usage Across Europe, 2024

² Vehicles in Use in Europe, 2023, report published by ACEA in January 2023

³ Fleet Management in Europe strategy report, published by Berg Insight in December 2024.

⁴ The research was conducted on behalf of Ford and involved surveying 3,000 Commercial Vehicle Fleet Drivers across the US, UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain between November 2024 and February 2025. The European research was conducted by Censuswide who abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council. The US research was conducted by Morning Consult. The margin of error is +/- 5 percentage points for the total audience at a 95 per cent confidence level.

The sample of 150 commercial vehicle fleet managers was recruited by the B2B specialist NewtonX across the US, UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain, between December 2024 and January 2025.

⁵ Estimated reduction per year based on (1) customer promptly responding to vehicle health alerts in FordPass Pro/Ford Telematics (to help avoid roadside assistance callouts) and (2) anticipated time saved using Ford Transit Centres for maintenance and repair (including Express Services). Actual reduction may depend on individual circumstances (e.g. driving style and vehicle use).