Ashok Leyland’s AI and IoT-Powered Trucks Are Driving the Future of Smart Fleets in India

• Chinmay
• May 26, 2025
• Artificial Intelligence, Automotive, Internet of Things, News
• AI in trucking India, Ashok Leyland smart trucks, connected commercial vehicles India, digital transformation in logistics, fleet analytics platforms, FOTA updates India, iAlert telematics, MPAS IoT system, predictive maintenance automotive
• 0 Comments

Imagine getting a message in real time telling you to shift gears — not from your co-driver, but from your vehicle’s AI system.

That’s exactly what’s happening across India’s highways today, thanks to Ashok Leyland’s tech-first transformation of its medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) fleet. The 75-year-old commercial vehicle giant has embraced AI, machine learning, IoT, and predictive analytics to build connected trucks that are smarter, safer, and more efficient — helping drivers, fleet operators, and service teams alike.

Data at the Core: 6 Million Data Points and Counting

Today, Ashok Leyland has over 170,000 connected MHCVs on Indian roads. These vehicles generate over 3.2 million data points every hour, translating into 40,000+ transactions per second.

This data is used to:

• Advise drivers to shift gears or reduce clutch usage
• Track driver behavior, vehicle health, and fuel efficiency
• Enable predictive maintenance and remote diagnostics
• Detect anomalies like harsh braking, fuel theft, or overspeeding

“Operational efficiency can go up by as much as 10% just from these interventions,” says Ganesh Mani S, Chief Operating Officer, Ashok Leyland.

Platforms Powering the Shift

Ashok Leyland’s tech stack includes:

• iAlert: Started as a GPS tool, now tracks 110+ vehicle parameters
• ION: A dedicated platform for electric vehicle data management
• FOTA: Firmware Over-The-Air updates to push fixes and improvements remotely
• MPAS: In-house IoT system connecting 1,000+ factory machines, collecting 650,000 data points/day

From fleet dashboards to driver incentive models, these platforms form a digital nervous system for the company.

Building a Data-First Culture

Ashok Leyland isn’t just using AI — it’s embedding it into its culture.

• 100 shop-floor data scientists are being trained to solve real-world problems
• Cobots and IoT sensors support smarter, traceable manufacturing
• M-Alert ensures proactive maintenance across the ecosystem

Upcoming upgrades include:

• Chatbot-based driver and fleet support
• Prognostic alerts
• End-to-end fleet digitalization

Why This Matters

For an industry often seen as traditional and fragmented, this transformation is massive. Ashok Leyland’s approach proves that legacy manufacturing can lead the future — if it blends engineering with real-time intelligence and systems thinking.

It’s not just about smarter trucks.
It’s about a smarter trucking ecosystem.