Germany – As part of the company's digital strategy, Daimler Buses GmbH (owned by Daimler Truck AG of Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany) announced that all new Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses will now come equipped with advanced digital solutions as standard. The caveat is that this system will come standard for three years in the diesel ICE range and six years on the BEVs. Once this period lapses, customers will have the option to purchase the digital solutions services package. This decision comes after the company purchased 49% stake in Sinos GmbH, a German software company specialising in fleet management and intelligent charging solutions. 

At the core of this software is the Omniplus On digital platform, which includes real-time vehicle monitoring, predictive maintenance tools, and remote diagnostics, all designed to cut downtime, optimise fuel efficiency, and streamline fleet management. The system can also detect potential technical issues before they lead to breakdowns, which leads to predictive maintenance and less vehicle downtime. Fleet operators also gain access to live data such as location, speed, and fuel use/battery use via a cloud-based dashboard. The benefits are clear, according to Daimler Buses, operators can reduce operating costs, increase vehicle availability, and ensure better compliance and safety through proactive monitoring.