Renault is preparing to monetise connected vehicle data as it rolls out its first software-defined vans, starting with the forthcoming Trafic – but not before it has proved the worth of the new technology, according to Zak Zeghari, the Renault Group's vice-president for global sales and marketing of commercial vehicles
The move aims to capitalise on a wider trend within the fleet market of measuring and lowering the total cost of operating a vehicle.
Speaking at the UK's Commercial Vehicle Show, senior Renault executives said the move to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) would transform both how vans are developed and how they are used in operation.
The technology will be introduced on the all-electric next-generation Trafic in 2027 before being rolled out across Renault's light commercial vehicle (LCV) range as new models are introduced.
“The software-defined vehicle for us is a great asset,” Zeghari said, because it enables three key benefits: improved platform efficiency, over-the-air software updates through the vehicle’s life cycle and the ability to harness data to support customer operations.
That data focus is central to Renault’s longer-term commercial strategy. While charging customers for connected services isn't immediate, it is clearly under consideration.
“I believe that every time that there is a customer benefit, you should have a business case behind it,” Zeghari said.
“When we can demonstrate all the benefits,” he said, Renault will look at making this a paid service. “At the end of the day, we are here to make money and to make our customer happy.”
Renault argues that SDVs will help fleets move beyond traditional total cost of ownership metrics toward a broader “total cost of usage” model, focused on uptime, operational efficiency and predictive maintenance.
The system will feed real-time data to both customers and retailers, helping reduce the amount of time vans are off the road being serviced or repaired, through early intervention.
This approach raises questions around data security, particularly with the latest artificial intelligence models being able to quickly and easily identify cybersecurity flaws in software systems.
To combat hacks, Renault has developed a “digital twin” system, where vehicle data is processed in the cloud, with a constantly updated firewall separating it from the physical vehicle.
“In order to avoid all these cyber security attacks, we created on the cloud a digital twin of our vehicles,” Zeghari said. “Nobody’s safe, [so] we have to be very careful and then to evolve.”
Two-legged powertrain strategy
Renault is doubling down on a clear two-pronged powertrain strategy for its LCVs: internal combustion and fully electric.
Executives ruled out plug-in hybrid and hydrogen powertrains as viable options for LCVs in the near term, citing limited demand and operational constraints.
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