Continental Survey Reveals How Fleet Operators in UK, France and Germany Differ on Digital and Sustainability Strategies

Continental Survey Reveals How Fleet Operators in UK, France and Germany Differ on Digital and Sustainability Strategies

(IN BRIEF) Continental’s “The Future of Fleets” study, surveying 850 managers across Europe and North America, reveals that 76 percent of fleets face rising operating costs and 46 percent fear broader economic threats. The research illuminates marked differences in each country’s appetite for change: UK fleets are hungry for digital solutions to drive efficiency, French operators prioritise sustainability and electrification, while German managers—despite acute cost worries—show the least willingness to innovate. Continental proposes tailored solutions such as its ContiConnect tire‑monitoring platform and eco‑engineered tires like Conti Eco and Conti Urban NXT to help each market reduce expenses, improve uptime and future‑proof their fleets.

(PRESS RELEASE) HANOVER, 29-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Continental is helping transport and logistics operators tackle surging operating expenses and economic uncertainty with its rugged commercial vehicle tires, integrated digital platforms and end‑to‑end consulting. A recent “The Future of Fleets” survey, commissioned from Dataforce and drawing on insights from 850 fleet managers across France, the UK, Germany and the US, underscores the urgency of such support. Three‑quarters of respondents rank rising costs as their top challenge, while nearly half cite broader economic risks—from geopolitical conflicts to fragile supply chains—as a threat to their businesses.

“Our findings confirm that every market has its own pressures and pace of change,” observes Franziska Ohliger, Head of Commercial Consumer Business Solutions at Continental Tires. Differences in competitiveness, digital maturity and willingness to innovate vary sharply between countries, demanding bespoke strategies rather than one‑size‑fits‑all solutions.

United Kingdom: British fleet managers lead the charge for digital transformation. Eighty percent acknowledge a pressing need to evolve their operations, and 73 percent worry about staying competitive. There’s keen interest in real‑time tools that bolster driver safety, cut downtime and trim costs. Clarisa Doval, Head of Digital Solutions at Continental Tires, highlights ContiConnect, the company’s cloud‑based tire‑management system. “ContiConnect plugs directly into fleet operations, sending live tire‑condition data so managers can schedule maintenance precisely—avoiding breakdowns and slashing expenses swiftly.”

France: Three out of four French operators also feel the imperative to change, yet 64 percent question their firms’ future competitiveness. Sustainability drives many of their decisions: 43 percent aim to curb emissions, and 65 percent are already electrifying their fleets. Ohliger points to Continental’s Conti Eco drive‑axle tire—designed for heavy battery‑electric trucks with low rolling resistance and extended mileage—and the new Conti Urban NXT bus tire, composed of 59 percent renewable or recycled materials, as prime examples of eco‑focused innovation.

Germany: Despite voicing the strongest concerns about cost pressures and economic volatility, only half of German respondents believe transformation is necessary, and a mere 22 percent fret over competitiveness. Fifty‑eight percent see electrification as a key challenge and 48 percent warn of driver shortages. Notably, 48 percent confess to being late adopters of new technologies, and only 6 percent consider themselves pioneers—lagging far behind France’s 21 percent and the UK’s 32 percent of early adopters. “In Germany especially,” says Doval, “there’s a tremendous opportunity to turn cautious operators into industry leaders through our digital tire‑management and advisory services.”

Click here for the study “The Future of Fleets. A report by Continental”.

Media Contact:

Annette Rojas
Spokesperson commercial vehicle tires
Public Relations, Media and Communication
Replacement Tires EMEA
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
Tel: +49 160 9083 7745
email: annette.rojas@conti.de

SOURCE: Continental