Ford Pro Telematics users now have access to Ford Pro AI, an AI-powered chatbot with information specific to fleet managers.
Ford Pro Telematics users now have access to Ford Pro AI, an AI-powered chatbot with information specific to fleet managers.
Ford Motor Company commercial vehicle customers will now have access to a new chatbot powered by artificial intelligence within the Ford Pro Telematics software platform that can provide information faster, alert you to maintenance needs sooner and suggest tips to increase efficiency.
AI became the earliest adopted technology, and chatbots are increasingly used by the general public and businesses. According to software review platform G2, nearly 70% of businesses and organizations have deployed AI chatbots or virtual agents. Ford Pro AI provides a specialized chatbot with the Dearborn automaker’s proprietary data set to help fleet managers monitor their vehicles and increase the utility of their high-margin subscription-based telematics products.
“Ford Pro AI is built to augment, not replace, human capabilities by providing responsible, vehicle-specific intelligence that helps solve real-world problems,” Kevin Dunbar, general manager of Ford Pro Intelligence, said during a virtual briefing. “Ford Pro AI takes the millions of data points that commercial vehicles can generate, from seatbelt clicks to vehicle health signals, and turns them into insights fleet managers can use to act quickly.”
In just a few seconds, fleet managers can get an explanation of why a dashboard light is on, get recommendations on how to improve fuel efficiency, and access a list of vehicles that need maintenance this month. However, AI cannot schedule its services. But getting these answers right away can free up business owners and fleet managers to do other things.
Ford introduced the tool, built on Alphabet Inc.’s Google Cloud, at no additional cost to telematics subscribers, at Work Truck Week in Indianapolis on Tuesday. Dunbar declined to share the specific AI model the company uses.
“Being able to get critical vehicle data and summaries on demand has saved us time,” Mackenzie Mace, who manages more than 2,000 vehicles at commercial roofing company CentiMark, said in a statement provided by Ford after testing Ford Pro AI. “If I have a question in the office, I can get it answered within minutes.”
Ford Pro Software subscriptions grew 30% to more than 840,000 last year as the company introduced off-vehicle equipment tracking, enhanced reporting capabilities such as inspection history and geofencing, expanded on-vehicle controls and received global data security certification. Dunbar said Ford Pro AI will build on that growth.
Ford Pro Intelligence, the cloud-based platform that powers Ford’s software products, currently monitors and analyzes more than 1 billion data points from connected commercial vehicles every day. Since 2023, the number of commercial vehicles connected to Ford Pro worldwide has grown by more than 40% to 5.2 million vehicles.
Also at Work Truck Week, Ford shared details about its 2027 Super Duty truck, which will begin taking orders this spring. The lineup expands the Tremor Off-Road package to all models and adds a Platinum trim option on chassis cabs. Ford’s Super Duty collaboration with Dearborn-based workwear brand Carhartt also debuts this spring.
bnoble@detroitnews.com
@BreanaCnoble
