Draiver is expanding its role with automakers by providing end-to-end logistics solutions to improve vehicle visibility, reduce delivery times, and support evolving fleet and autonomous-vehicle needs. Joining us on the latest episode of Driving Solutions, we’re joined by Draiver’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Peter Janczewski, who says OEMs are increasingly turning to unified platforms to manage complex vehicle movement across the supply chain.
U.S. automakers produced more than 10 million vehicles over the past year, each requiring multiple transitions across the logistics chain, from plant to yard, yard to rail, and ultimately to dealerships or customers. This process often involves multiple vendors, creating fragmentation and limiting real-time visibility.
According to Janczewski, Draiver addresses these challenges by consolidating logistics operations into a single platform. The company operates a network of 140,000 drivers across North America and international markets, including Mexico and Brazil, and moved 1.7 million vehicles last year. Janczewski alludes that, “If a vehicle is sitting idle, that’s tied-up capital and lost revenue.”
“One of the biggest challenges OEMs face is visibility and velocity."
The company has worked to reduce delivery timelines through a plant-to-consumer model, cutting delivery time in one case from more than 30 days to six days. The platform also provides real-time tracking, allowing OEMs to monitor vehicle location, driver activity, and estimated delivery times.
Fleet operations present another area of focus. Janczewski said downtime remains a critical issue, with a 100-vehicle fleet potentially incurring up to $17.5 million in annual losses due to inefficiencies. Draiver supports fleet partners by managing vehicle movement, handling compliance-related tasks, and coordinating with upfitters and service providers to keep vehicles operational.
Janczewski said Draiver’s ability to act as a single operational layer differentiates it from traditional logistics providers, which often require OEMs to manage multiple vendors for transportation, inspections, and yard services.
As the industry shifts toward autonomous mobility, Draiver is also supporting emerging use cases. While adoption continues to grow, particularly in ride-share applications, Janczewski noted these vehicles still require human support to remain operational. Driver networks help ensure vehicles are maintained, staged, and ready for use.
Technology, particularly artificial intelligence, plays a central role in Draiver’s platform. The company began integrating AI six to seven years ago to optimize routing, improve efficiency, and enhance service delivery. Janczewski said AI is embedded throughout operations to support both clients and drivers.
Looking ahead, he said automotive logistics is evolving into a more dynamic, mobile operations model driven by direct-to-consumer delivery, fleet growth, and advancements in autonomous vehicles. For OEMs, the priority remains delivering vehicles to the right place at the right time while minimizing delays and improving efficiency.
