How Telematics Data Helps Predict Machine Downtime

That’s a powerful statistic, but for a lot of you fleet managers and owners out there, predictive maintenance might seem too technical to be practical. Maybe you’re asking yourself: What is predictive maintenance in construction? Or, more specifically, how can data actually reduce equipment downtime?

The answers lie in how we interpret the data. Telematics systems can generate an overwhelming amount of information — a lot of “noise” that can be hard to sift through. The goal of ActiveCare Direct is to filter out that noise and focus only on the critical cases that matter most.

Key Takeaways

• Volvo ActiveCare Direct filters out general telematics noise to identify specific critical trends, allowing dealers to fix small problems before they become major failures.
• Aggregated data from the field allows Volvo to engineer machine improvements to counteract common operator habits that can cause damage.
• The upgraded Volvo Connect interface combines ActiveCare Direct, CareTrack and more into one simple user interface that helps you spot fleet health trends at a glance.

By analyzing specific data points, our team, along with your dealer, can see exactly why machines might go down and help you address issues proactively to stay on time and on budget.

Common things our Uptime Center looks for.

The Volvo Uptime Center in Shippensburg doesn’t look for single fault codes. We look at things like pressures, temperatures and fluid levels to identify specific issues or trends. Here are a few examples of what the data tells us:

• Coolant issues: We look at temperatures, pressures and levels simultaneously. If we see high coolant temperature combined with a low coolant level, for example, it could indicate a blown hose or a slow leak.
• Auto-greasing systems: Automatic greasing systems are fantastic for efficiency, but because they’re automatic, they’re often overlooked during daily walkarounds compared to manual greasing. Data alerts can tell us if the system has failed or is empty, ensuring pins and bushings aren’t wearing out prematurely.
• Diesel particulate filter (DPF): We monitor for soot accumulation and restriction. Rather than waiting for the machine to de-rate or stop, ActiveCare Direct can trigger a case that provides specific work instructions — like performing a service regen — before the filter plugs completely.

In each of these scenarios, the fix is relatively quick and painless — but if they’re overlooked, a simple fix can quickly turn into a budget-busting breakdown.

Here’s how telematics data helps prevent downtime.

Data is only useful if it leads to action. Here are a few real-world scenarios where ActiveCare Direct helped prevent catastrophic downtime.

• We once had a situation where a machine was flagging high coolant temperatures. The dealer contacted the customer, who then spoke to the operator. It turned out the operator had been adding a gallon of water to the machine every day. The operator thought they were doing the right thing to keep the machine running, but they were actually masking a much bigger internal issue, like a failing water pump or head gasket. Because the data flagged the temperature trend, the site supervisor was able to shut the machine down for repair before the engine failed completely.
• In a unique case in California, a customer was working on a jetty wall near the ocean. The dealer received an alert indicating a critical issue was about to happen and called the customer immediately. The customer was then able to move their machine off the jetty before high tide came in, allowing them to service it safely rather than having it stranded in the water.
• ActiveCare Direct simplifies communication because the case alerts contain contact info for both the dealer and the customer. One customer sent an email to their dealer asking why the system hadn’t caught a machine down issue yet. A few minutes later, he emailed back to disregard the prior email because the dealer’s tech was already on site. The dealer had received the alert and dispatched a technician before the customer even realized help was already on the way.

Telematics is a two-way street.

We know operators are often rushed to get a job done, which can sometimes lead to habits that stress machines — like shutting down a hot engine too quickly or shifting gears at high speeds. ActiveCare Direct provides behavioral alerts that help fleet managers identify these habits and train operators to avoid inadvertent damage. 

But Volvo also uses this data to engineer better machines. By analyzing recurring behavioral alerts out in the field, we can design built-in safeguards and new machine technologies that alleviate the stress of harsh operation. It’s a continuous loop: the data you generate today helps us build smarter, more resilient machines for tomorrow.

Volvo Connect offers a new way to view your fleet.

To make all this data even easier to access, we’ve moved ActiveCare Direct into the new Volvo Connect platform. This upgraded interface offers several key benefits:

• Unified access: You can access ActiveCare Direct, CareTrack and more with a single login.
• Mobile-friendly: The new web interface essentially functions just like an app, scaling perfectly to your tablet or mobile phone.
• At-a-glance insights: You can easily view fleet health, fuel efficiency targets and utilization in simplified graphs, allowing you to spot trends in seconds.

At the end of the day, this technology isn’t just about generating more data — it’s about giving you less to worry about. It’s the confidence of knowing that while you’re focusing on the jobsite, someone else is watching the gauges for you. When your dealer knows what your machines need before you do, you stop losing sleep over potential breakdowns and start focusing on the tasks at hand.

Learn more about ActiveCare Direct works, then be sure to reach out to your nearest Volvo dealer with any additional questions you may have.