2007

Paris, Nanterre, 25 September 2007

 

 

For the first time in France, on-board information system data is used to assess the on-road automobile risk of company vehicle fleets.

 

AXA France and Orange Business Services, world leaders in their respective fields, have joined forces on this innovative service project.  

 

This joint initiative represents the next step in the prevention of road risk.  It is based on AXA France’s insurance know-how and the expertise of Orange Business Services in machine-to-machine vehicle fleet localisation and optimisation solutions. This French first thus responds to real-time transport safety, optimisation, and management issues that company managers increasingly face.  But thanks to the partnership between AXA France and Orange Business Services, company managers will have information on the overall performance of their vehicle fleet. They will thus be able to make their staff more aware of road risk with a view to changing their behaviour.  

 

The project consists of the formulation of dynamic statistical indicators that regularly measure the company vehicle fleet’s risk profile.  In detail, Orange Business Services gathers information on the position, the miles travelled, and the average speed of vehicles equipped with the Orange Business Services “Fleet Performance” fleet management system. Orange Business Services then periodically sends AXA France a statistical data report on the company fleet in question.  Based on this indicator, at an early stage, the company can take preventive measures to reduce its road risk.

 

This project, which the French CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés - National Commission for Information Systems and Freedom) has been involved in from the beginning, responds to different regulatory needs.

 

AXA France has expertise in risk coverage and automobile prevention risk.  Its Company Vehicle Prevention Plan, developed mostly over the past year, is a “tool box” organised around three pillars:  

- prevention management by the company manager;

- awareness of the rules of “good” behaviour behind the wheel;

- awareness of the rules of vehicle maintenance.  

 

AXA France is taking a further step in terms of prevention, allowing company managers to better understand automobile risk as a function of driver behaviour with a view to embedding dynamic prevention measures further upstream.

 

Orange Business Services is the European leader in machine-to-machine solutions.  Launched in mid-2006, the “Fleet Performance” fleet management system allows companies to track their vehicles and monitor their performance in all European countries. Each vehicle is equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) integrated with a GPRS mobile communications module.  The vehicles thereby automatically send their information on a dedicated machine-to-machine platform managed by Orange Business Services. For its part, the company sets up a secure internet-access port to manage its vehicle fleet.  The Fleet Performance system includes the equipment, communications, data management software, and the accompanying performance package:  consulting, implementation, and user services.  

 

Insurance leader in France with nearly €22 billion in turnover in 2006, AXA France accompanies its 9 million private, professional, and business customers each step of the way, offering them solutions and customised consulting. AXA France offers them a complete range, from asset and personal protection, transfer of property to savings, banking services, and contingency, all including services such as legal assistance and protection.

AXA Group is world leader in Financial Protection. AXA’s businesses are geographically diversified with a concentration in Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region. The Group reported €79 billion in revenues and €5 billion in operating income in 2006 (IFRS basis).

 

For further information: www.axa.fr 

Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. France Telecom serves more than 163 million customers in five continents as of June 30, 2007, of which two thirds are Orange customers. The Group had consolidated sales of 51.7 billion euros in 2006 and 25,9 billion euros for the 1st semester of 2007. At June 30, 2007 the group had 102.5 million mobile customers and 10.5 million broadband internet (ADSL) customers.

 

Launched in June 2005, the NExT program (New Experience in Telecommunications) will enable the Group to pursue its transformation as an integrated operator and make France Telecom the benchmark for new telecommunications services in Europe. In 2006, Orange became the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates, and Orange Business Services the banner for services offered to businesses worldwide. France Telecom is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband internet services in Europe and one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.

 

France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris and on the New York Stock Exchange.