The Grey Fleet App gives fleets an immediate overview of their current grey fleet and enables firms to make decisions on employing more hire cars or fleet vehicles.

The app allows the easy input of data from the driver such as registration number, MOT, insurance and servicing details. Drivers are texted once a month to encourage them to update mileages and once a year to remind them about renewing their MOT and insurance.

Hitachi Capital automatically collects all the data and makes it instantly available for fleets to review.

The Company Car app – which works with all three BlackBerry, Android and iPhone system – features an end-of -life contract damage manager that prompts employees to take photos of any damage six weeks before their car is due back. This is done with the help of a copy of the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear guide. The Hitachi Capital team can then assesses the damage and determine whether a smart repair or bodyshop repair is advised prior to defleet to prevent customers incurring expensive dehire charges.

The app also has a number of additional features such as online service booking, an accident management reporter that helps drivers capture photos and data around damage, the scene, location, witnesses and any third-party details. It also gives drivers a complete tyre finder service to enable them to have a tyre replaced or repaired at any ATS centre nationally.

‘Our aim was to introduce a Mobile Solution that only provides our customers with all of the driver functionality that exists in the market place today but also tackles grey fleet and end-of-life damage which are two key issues that are very difficult to control,’ explained Mike Belcher, head of sales at Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions.

‘During the test phase both apps showed their value in automatically collecting data which has been previously difficult to come by and then presenting it in a consolidated report which companies can act upon,’ he added.

The apps are downloadable by contacting [email protected] who provide a download.