Trucking and logistics app development: 29% productivity surge and 17% fuel savings

Innowise has developed a safe driving mobile app that keeps drivers from being distracted while driving. It provides instant access to the most useful features – all controlled by voice commands.

Customer

Industry

Transportation

Region

Italy

Client since

2020

Our client operates a prominent trucking company that holds significant influence in the transportation sector. Employing a workforce of more than 150 skilled drivers, they possess the capability to swiftly and effectively transport goods throughout the European Union.

Detailed information about the client cannot be disclosed under the provisions of the NDA.

Challenge: Overcoming hurdles through trucking app development

The increasing prevalence of mobile phones has resulted in a rise in drivers using them while operating vehicles, posing significant risks to their own lives and those of others. Texting or talking on the phone while driving is both subject to a fine and a key factor in traffic-related fatalities.

In light of these concerns, our client approached us to devise a solution that could effectively minimize the probability of traffic accidents and promote responsible driving practices. Given that the client employs over 150 drivers who undertake extensive long-distance trucking journeys each day, prioritizing their safety and efficiency became paramount.

Thus, we were faced with the challenge of developing an app for truck drivers that promotes safe driving.

Solution: Developing an app for truck drivers that ensures safe and focused driving

Our top priority was to come up with an effective hands-free solution for drivers on the go. It was essential to ensure that all the features useful for drivers features could be easily controlled through voice commands to guarantee maximum efficiency and safety while driving.

Samsung Knox

We chose Samsung devices for their KNOX tool, which granted us complete control over the phone and its functionalities without requiring the drivers’ consent. This enabled us to:

securely lock the drivers’ phones using our app;
continuously track the location of the trucks, irrespective of the phone’s status;
conveniently adjust the music volume in the truck.

App overview

We have developed a voice-controlled Android app for drivers. It requires a Bluetooth connection to function seamlessly, ensuring it remains connected and accessible at all times.

Once the device detects a speed of more than 20 km/h, it automatically locks the phone and gives access only to the basic mobile phone functions navigated by voice commands, such as:

send and receive messages;
message in WhatsApp;
make and receive phone calls;
GPS-enabled location and navigation;
streaming music on Spotify.

Thus, this hands-free solution helps to minimize distraction and ensure safety while driving.

Emergency button

A double-tap of the “emergency button” sends an SMS with the car’s GPS coordinates to a list of pre-selected emergency contacts. In the event of an accident, the app initiates a call to the first on the list after 1 minute.

High-quality voice recognizer

Speech recognition is a complex process at its core. The presence of background noise or music in the car poses challenges for our safe driving app to accurately capture and interpret the driver’s speech. However, we have devised a solution that intelligently reduces the volume of the music, thereby improving the quality and precision of speech recognition. Additionally, to provide a more seamless experience, we enhanced the app with a continuous listening feature that eliminates human factors such as speech pauses or swallowing saliva.

Monthly safety quiz

The client wanted to determine how safe drivers feel during trucking trips and how satisfied they are with the app. For this reason, we added an automatic monthly quiz for drivers. The quiz not only provides valuable data but also helps the client improve working conditions and services offered.

Technologies

Mobile

Android (Native), Samsung Knox, BLE, Google Assistant, Maps SDK

Process

One of the most significant challenges we faced during the trucking app development project was achieving high-quality voice recognition. Since the app relies solely on voice navigation, the user experience needed to be seamless and require no additional actions from the driver. Another obstacle was integrating Italian as the primary language for recognition. Nevertheless, Innowise successfully delivered a user-friendly application that perfectly met all the drivers’ requirements.

After finalizing the application features through a fruitful discussion, we began the development process. Due to our profound technical knowledge and extensive experience, we were able to accelerate the trucking app development process, completing it in just five months.

Our team used the Scrum development methodology with regular meetings to ensure everyone was up-to-date with progress. Also, we used Microsoft Teams for effective communication between team members. This enabled us to work efficiently and collaboratively, resulting in project success.

Team

Back-End Developer

Designer

Project Manager

Manual QA Engineer

Android Developer

Results: 100% distraction-free driving and fuel savings

Driving a truck is hard work and takes a lot of focus, so it is not surprising that drivers often get tired and their concentration levels drop. However, one moment of inattention can have devastating consequences, from minor fender benders to serious injury or death.

Innowise has developed a solution that ensures safe and distraction-free driving. While on the road, the voice-controlled Android app help drivers easily access the most necessary functions: maps, calls, messenger, music player and “emergency button”.

Following two months of app usage, the client observed a significant increase in the efficiency and productivity of their drivers, leading to a higher level of customer loyalty. In addition, the implementation of the app resulted in notable financial savings by avoiding fines and reducing insurance expenses. The app’s ability to optimize routes, minimize fuel consumption, and reduce idle time played a crucial role in achieving these cost savings.

Project duration

August - December 2020

29%

surge in driver efficiency and productivity

17%

financial savings in fuel expenses

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