What will it take to manage a fleet five years from now?

With AI moving from the back office to the frontline, and growing pressure to automate, integrate, and operate more efficiently, fleet management is undergoing rapid change.  

In this Q&A, Automotive Fleet speaks with Johan Land, Samsara’s SVP of product and engineering, about how the company is responding to these shifts through investments in AI-driven safety tools, predictive maintenance, and a more open, connected ecosystem.

Land also shares Samsara’s long-term vision and what fleet managers should be paying closer attention to as the industry moves from reactive to proactive operations.

AF: What does the next evolution of telematics look like from your perspective?

JL: The next wave of telematics isn’t just about tracking vehicles and assets — it’s about turning that data into real-time actions. At Samsara, AI (Samsara Intelligence) is already being used to anticipate risks, automate workflows, and make life easier for both managers and frontline teams. The future is automated, unified operations: video, safety, equipment, and telematics coming together so leaders have total visibility and can drive efficiency and safety like never before. It’s not about more data; it’s about smarter, faster decisions at every level.

AF: Samsara serves a diverse mix of industries  —  transportation, utilities, field service, public sector. What are the common challenges across these verticals?

JL: Across all the industries we serve — transportation, utilities, field service, the public sector — we’ve developed a deep understanding of their unique operational needs. What’s striking is that while each industry has its nuances, many of the core challenges are consistent: limited real-time visibility, aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, and pressure to drive efficiency with fewer resources. Samsara’s platform is built to be flexible — supporting a wide range of use cases that are tailored to each sector but often applicable across the board. Whether it's automating inspections in the field or optimizing fleet operations, we’re able to provide solutions that address both industry-specific needs and common operational pain points. At the end of the day, organizations want visibility, automation, and tools to empower their teams — and that’s exactly what we deliver.

AF: Where are you seeing the most exciting innovation in telematics today? (AI-driven safety, predictive maintenance, edge computing, something else?)

JL: The real excitement in telematics right now is how AI is moving from the back office to the frontline — and how quickly it’s being adopted by users. At Samsara, we’re seeing 80% adoption rates for AI-driven safety features — where cameras don’t just record, but proactively prevent accidents — which is a total game changer on our roads, impacting businesses and citizen drivers alike. Predictive maintenance means fewer breakdowns and surprise costs. And with edge computing, we’re unlocking real-time insights and actions that were impossible just a few years ago. What excites me most is how these technologies combine to help teams make smarter decisions instantly, keeping people safer and businesses more resilient.

AF: With AI a part of everything today, how does Samsara see the role of the fleet manager evolving with AI as an assistant? How do you (or we as industry) ensure AI helps but not overwhelms them?

JL: For fleet managers, the most impactful use of generative AI is when it acts as a true assistant — one that we build to work for them. That means proactively surfacing the most important information, flagging risks, recommending next steps, and automating routine tasks — without overwhelming them with noise or unnecessary data. Our goal isn’t to add complexity; it’s to simplify decision-making in real time. By designing AI to highlight what matters most, exactly when it matters, we help fleet managers stay focused on high-value work and make faster, smarter decisions. That’s how AI becomes a force multiplier, not a distraction.

AF: Where is Samsara investing most heavily in product development right now?

JL: Right now, our biggest investments are in AI-powered safety, automation, and transforming the worker experience. We’re focused on making frontline jobs safer, more efficient, and easier: think intelligent dash cams that prevent accidents from every angle, predictive tools for asset maintenance, personalized worker apps, and connected data across every part of operations. We’re also investing in building the next ecosystem with ventures in robotics, EV infrastructure, and global connectivity. The goal is a truly unified platform where data and AI are working for people, every day, and really making their lives easier.

AF: What do you think fleet managers are not paying enough attention to right now, but should be?

JL: If there’s one thing fleet managers can’t afford to overlook, it’s the power of proactive data. Many in the industry are still focusing the majority of their time reacting to breakdowns or safety incidents after they happen, instead of leveraging real-time insights to prevent them. Modern fleet leaders are looking for ways to make data actionable to keep their team safer, cut costs, and constantly improve. This shift — from reactive to proactive — is where really transformative results come from.

AF: How is Samsara approaching third-party integrations and open ecosystem development?

JL: We believe an open ecosystem is key to unlocking real business value. Our focus on flexibility and scale is why we've built the industry's largest app marketplace, which offers over 300 pre-built partner integrations. We also offer an open API, which enables customers to easily connect Samsara to the systems they already rely on, whether it's for payroll, maintenance, or analytics. This approach helps fleet managers break down data silos and innovate freely.

AF: Looking ahead, what does Samsara look like five years from now?

JL: Five years from now, I see Samsara as the nerve center for the world’s physical operations. We’ll go far beyond tracking and safety; Samsara Intelligence will orchestrate, automate, and optimize every aspect of operations — from frontline workflows to global supply chains. We’ll empower every worker, manager, and leader with real-time insights to make their jobs safer, easier, and more sustainable. And as industries everywhere embrace electrification and new technologies, Samsara will help them adapt and lead. It’s about building the connected operations ecosystem the world will depend on.