The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has raised serious questions regarding the legality and ethics of ‘over-the-air’ (OTA) software updates that downgrade the capabilities of company cars and vans already in service.

The industry body – which will be at tomorrow’s Great British Fleet Event to talk about Fleet Management Fundamentals – said a recent meeting of the AFP’s Megafleets Committee – representing the UK’s largest vehicle operators – had seen members voice growing frustration over performance reductions implemented by manufacturers without prior consultation.

A primary concern involves updates that slow down electric vehicle charging speeds; sometimes quite substantially.

Paul Hollick, chair of the fleet industry body, noted that these changes directly undermine logistical planning.

“If a fleet manager has allocated 30 mins to charge a van midway through a carefully planned route and it suddenly takes 45 minutes instead, that has cost and service implications,” Hollick explained.

“Manufacturers are no doubt making these changes for good reasons such as improved battery life or even safety but they are also reducing the capabilities of a vehicle long after the fleet has decided to buy or lease it, and that simply doesn’t seem right. It may even potentially be a breach of contract.”

The AFP is calling for the industry to establish clear boundaries on the extent of OTA modifications. Currently, most updates occur without warning or explanation, leaving operators to deal with the fallout.

“We are in a situation where car and van makers are using OTA technology to downgrade the capabilities of vehicles to a noticeable degree – usually without warning, consultation or explanation,” said Hollick. “That is concerning and needs to change.”

The AFP leader added that possible solutions to this are not clear but said that, at the very least, the business group would like to see limits placed on the number and extent of changes that are made, and much more information provided about what is happening to fleet vehicles and why.

The committee also highlighted a growing ‘app gap’ in fleet management. Current manufacturer apps are typically designed for a single private user, making it difficult for fleet managers to revoke access rights for temporary or agency drivers, once that person has left.

“Also, manufacturers often carry out updates to apps that alter their capabilities in a similar fashion to OTA software changes, and do not consult with the fleets who are their largest users.

“Our members feel, at the very least, they need to be kept in the loop when changes are made and given the opportunity to make any concerns known,” added Hollick.