KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 3 June 2021 – Sime Darby Rent A Car Sdn Bhd (SDRAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sime Darby Motors, is pleased to announce the successful delivery of a fleet of telematics-enabled vehicles to support Pengerang Integrated Complex, PETRONAS' integrated petrochemical facility in Pengerang, Johor.
The integration of a telecommunication and information processing system in its vehicle fleet is another milestone for SDRAC, and is a part of its efforts to expand its leasing business and transform from a conventional car rental company into a fleet management solutions provider. Telematics, which is recognised for its role in the logistics industry, will be used for the first time in the car rental industry by SDRAC to improve the performance of its fleet. With centralised control, SDRAC’s customers will be provided with real-time insights to track vehicle usage and driver performance. They will also have the ability to optimise routes to reduce fuel wastage and vehicle maintenance, and obtain information on vehicle health that helps reduce breakdowns and interruptions to business operations. With vehicle telematics installed, SDRAC’s customers can expect improved journey performance and safety through an elaborate alerts system and observation of driving behaviours.
“As with other businesses in the travel industry, SDRAC’s transient business has been impacted by the travel and movement restrictions that have turned the industry upside down. Having been in the business for 39 years, we understand the need to consistently innovate and reinvent ourselves. The work that we have put in to digitalise our fleet management business thus far has enabled us to continuously grow our business by implementing our telematics solution to power up our customers’ fleet, and to help them boost efficiency and improve productivity. We aim to prove the case for vehicle fleet telematics and support more customers to migrate to an advanced fleet management system as part of our promise to consistently add value and deliver the highest standard of service,” said Sime Darby Rent A Car Sdn Bhd Managing Director, Harun Mohd Joned.
SDRAC successfully delivered the fleet of telematics-enabled vehicles in December 2020, with a call centre set up on site at Pengerang to manage the fleet dashboard. The telematics-enabled vehicles are currently providing the customer more control over their fleet, by enabling informed business decisions based on real-time data, besides having increased visibility and security through an aerial view of their fleet’s movements.
SDRAC manages close to 3,000 vehicles, representing one of the largest fleets in Southeast Asia for the Hertz and Thrifty brands, with an all-local workforce of 276. The highly qualified and dedicated team has vast experience in the supply, maintenance, and management of fleets in various industries. Utilising cutting edge technology capable of scaling up operations to manage fleet sizes of more than 35,000 units, SDRAC’s expertise in fleet management, operational leasing, and car rental is complemented by its extensive network of 269 authorised panels across the country.