Wialon, a global leader in fleet digitalisation and IoT software, has orchestrated an original and engaging display of both its software reliability and the strength of its global community, with a daring challenge for some of its top partners: the Wialon Challenge Dakar, a grueling, five-day mission in the Arabian desert, inspired by the iconic Dakar Rally.
Wialon’s partner challenge served as an opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of its fleet digitalization software, but more importantly, it proved something even stronger: the ultimate power of partnerships. In business as in life.
Real-World Testing at 40°C
While official Dakar Rally racers competed for glory, 12 Wialon partners from Lebanon, South Africa, Australia, Tanzania, Ireland, Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Chile, and Mexico navigated their own off-road vehicles across 1,900 km of vast Arabian desert.
Using Wialon’s software for real-time tracking and logistics, the teams tackled tasks designed to test the software, but also their skill and collaboration:
- Rapid Deployment & Scalability: Teams had to install GPS trackers and connect their vehicles to Wialon live. Despite intentional complications, added in for extra “fun” and requiring quick troubleshooting, every team was online in under 45 minutes!
- Simulated Stolen Vehicle Recovery: A high-speed chase tracked live within the Wialon platform (simulating a service that Wialon partners often provide for their clients)
- Mixed-Signal Resilience: In a region with zero fixed infrastructure, the platform had to maintain data integrity across fluctuating networks. This “zero-failure” logic is non-negotiable for modern fleets, where data reliability is paramount.
In the Tracks of Dakar Professionals
Wialon’s challenge (and once in a lifetime adventure) to its partners was inspired by the official Dakar Rally, where Wialon was used to track the support vehicle of one of the rally competitors: the Gurtam Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics Team, led by Dakar Ultimate class driver Benediktas Vanagas. Gurtam, the company that develops Wialon, is a proud naming partner for Benediktas and his crew.
Wialon’s partners met with Benediktas Vanagas and other rally racing teams in the official Dakar bivouac, one of the most iconic locations of the Dakar Rally. Aliaksandr Kuushynau, Head of Wialon, describes it as “something between a giant garage and a Burning Man festival”.
Proving Reliability Beyond the Office
Aliaksandr Kuushynau, Head of Wialon, who participated in the challenge, said:While the Dakar Rally is an extreme challenge for people and vehicles, for our software, it’s a chance to demonstrate the reliability we’ve perfected over two decades.
The brutal conditions — unyielding sun, endless dunes, vibrations, and fluctuating networks — make it the ultimate proving ground. Wialon once again validated its capability to handle such harsh environments with ease, delivering flawless performance when it mattered most.
This tradition of bold challenges is part of Wialon’s DNA. In previous years, the company has taken partners to climb Kilimanjaro and conquer Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani. It’s a strategy designed to foster a community built on mutual support and growth.
A Global Powerhouse for Every Fleet
Throughout two decades of sustained growth, Wialon has consistently invested resources, energy and know-how in its global partners ecosystem. Developed by European software development company Gurtam, Wialon has quietly become a reliable backbone for global partners and for global fleets. The scale of the fleet digitalization engine they’ve built is immense:
- Global footprint: Operates in over 160 countries through a network of 2,700 partner companies.
- Scale and range: Connects over 4 million vehicles, from small local fleets to enterprise operations with over 1,000 HGVs.
- Hardware agnostic: Supports over 4,100 types of tracking devices
- Big data: Processes more than 5 billion data points every single day.
By providing a unified solution for everything from fuel management and driver behavior to video telematics, Wialon has empowered thousands of independent fleet service providers to compete at a global level. Each of these partners has its own story of resilience, of discovery, and of being a part of the Wialon community.
Aliaksandr Kuushynau concludes:Our Dakar story is just one of the many chapters in the giant book of our shared adventures and victories. That’s who we are at Wialon— not just a group of business acquaintances, but a true passionate community, bonded by challenges and strengthened by success.
Want to see the desert action for yourself? Check out the Wialon Challenge Instagram and dedicated website for highlights of the 2026 Challenge.
This article was originally written by Gurtam.
