FLEET operators were urged to take an immediate leap into new technology at Fleet Show 2000. Holding back for the pace of advance in vehicle telematics to settle was a futile exercise, warned RAC executive Andy Duxbury.

'It is easy to be baffled by the sheer complexity of the new services emerging almost daily, but there are genuinely strong reasons for getting into this market right away. The quicker you're there, the better,' the RAC Trafficmaster Telematics spokesman told a Fleet Show forum, sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers and held in association with Manheim Europe. During a discussion on the impact of new technology on the fleet sector, he predicted a 50% annual growth in navigation system take-up, allied with a fall in prices of up to 15% each year.

'From an economic standpoint, congestion is draining an annual £23 billion from the economy - equal to £800 for every driver. That means there is a huge future for systems that help drivers avoid the jams and it is the next big growth area in telematics, Duxbury said. 'We think the breakthrough will come from GSM cell broadcast, which will soon be made available on the Jaguar S-type which allows automatic re-routing around problem areas.'