The two companies wanted to tackle the issues of under-utilisation of off-highway fleet vehicles, high idling time and poor maintenance.

Saskia Mureau, general manager of digital innovation at Shell Global Commercial, said: "We know our customers want to reduce their total cost of ownership, run their machines for longer and experience less downtime.

"We are challenging ourselves to think and act differently to address customer pain points. Digital technologies offer opportunities to grow our business in new directions, and MachineMax is one way in which Shell is rising to the challenge."

MachineMax offers a digital service that is designed for off-highway vehicles, powered by a wireless smart sensor that fits near the engine of any vehicle. Using artificial intelligence, it can create a unique machine signature to track vehicles, measure idling and generate other utilisation analytics. Cloud computing is then used to deliver real-time data and analysis to operators and site managers with an interface that can help them optimise their fleet operations and preventative maintenance programmes, the companies said.

"Like many other sectors, the construction and mining industries are on a digital transformation journey and we can help by equipping their workforce with tools and data that drive efficiencies, lower costs and improve environmental outcomes," added MachineMax CEO Amit Rai.

The premise of the service is to combine data sets with data analytics to enable companies to anticipate problems and adapt quickly, make the most of their existing fleet and avoid buying or renting new machines.

After successful trials with customers in the construction and mining industries, the companies said the service is now ready for commercialisation.

Shell is the primary investor, along with BCG Digital Ventures and B Capital Group, in MachineMax, which is headquartered in London, UK. Shell's Global Commercial division, alongside BCG Digital Ventures, led MachineMax through initial innovation and incubation phases before scaling and commercialisation could begin.