The future of fleets is advancing strongly thanks to the need for companies in the sector to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and respond to safety challenges and driver shortages. This is reflected in the report “Trends in Fleet Digitalization in Spain 2026”, prepared by Webfleet based on a survey of more than 140 Spanish companies of different sizes and sectors.
The study reveals that cost control is consolidated as the main concern of companies with fleets, indicated by 75.9% of those surveyed. Fuel continues to be the factor that most impacts operating expenses (89.4%), followed by maintenance (61.7%) and downtime (31.9%). The strategic decisions made today will define the future of fleets globally.
When asked about the most difficult costs to control, unforeseen breakdowns top the list (53.2%), followed by fuel (48.9%) and unproductive time (37.6%). To face this pressure, 53.2% of companies apply route optimization as the first savings measure, 40.4% work on reducing unproductive kilometers and 39% opt for predictive maintenance.
“The pressure on margins forces companies to look for smarter and more efficient solutions. Digitalization is no longer an option, but a competitive necessity,” says Heike de la Horra, Head of South Europe at Webfleet.
AI, a strategic priority in the future of fleets
The research also confirms the growing interest of the sector in artificial intelligence applied to fleet management. Although only 2.8% of companies currently claim to have an advanced level of AI adoption, 62.4% are already experimenting with this technology or plan to do so soon, thus transforming the future of commercial fleets.
Among the most valued uses of AI, predictive maintenance (58.2%), route planning and optimization (56.7%), operational cost analysis (51.8%) and regulatory compliance (45.4%) stand out.
Another of the most interesting conclusions of the report is that mobile apps and solutions for drivers lead the technological priorities for 2026 (46.8%), even ahead of advanced telematics (44.7%), reflecting a clear shift towards tools focused on improving the driver experience and daily operations, a basic pillar for the future of fleets.
Road safety remains a critical subject
The report also focuses on fleet safety. 77.3% of companies acknowledge having suffered minor accidents in the last year, while distractions behind the wheel appear as the main cause of accidents (54.6%).
Furthermore, cargo theft (26.2%) and vandalism (24.1%) continue to represent relevant threats to logistics operations. He future of fleets will largely depend on mitigating these security risks.
Another notable fact is the growing weight of external factors: road conditions and signage are now the third cause of accidents (27%), even ahead of speeding.
Driver shortage: a structural challenge
The lack of talent is consolidated as one of the main challenges of professional transport in Spain. More than half of companies (50.4%) say they have had difficulties hiring drivers in the last year. The impact is especially acute in bus fleets (77.8% with hiring problems) and trucks (62.8%), while passenger car fleets feel it less intensely (33.8%).
Companies identify as the main levers of attraction: more predictable schedules and work-life balance (51.8%), better salary conditions (46.8%), greater social recognition of the profession (34%) and better working conditions (32.5%). The rise of “technology that facilitates daily work” (21.3%) stands out as a hiring incentive, which shows that digitalization can also be a differentiating factor in attracting talent and a key element in the future of fleets.
However, the study also reflects that the acceptance of new technologies by drivers continues to be uneven: only 16.3% of companies speak of high acceptance, while 25.5% recognize low adoption.
Digitalization with direct impact on profitability
Although many companies do not yet systematically measure the economic impact of digitalization, the data already shows tangible benefits. 26.2% of the companies that do monitor claim to have reduced costs between 5% and more than 15% thanks to the implementation of fleet management technologies. The future of fleets necessarily involves this technological reconversion.
Route optimization, predictive maintenance and the reduction of unproductive kilometers are currently the main strategies to improve operational profitability.
«The reduction in operating costs derived from digitalization leads to a direct improvement in the income statement. Any savings in fuel, maintenance or resource management translates into greater operating margin. Systematic measurement is the first step to calculate the real ROI of the implemented technology, which is usually achieved in around 6-12 months,” continues the manager.
A sector in full transformation
The report’s conclusions point towards an increasingly connected, automated and data-driven fleet model. However, the study will warn that the true competitive differential will not only be in incorporating technology, but in being able to measure its impact and accompany the transformation with effective safety, efficiency and talent management policies to ensure the future of fleets.
