Technology has introduced breakthrough innovations in the automotive industry, and one of the most beneficial is vehicle telematics. A fleet manager’s job is pretty challenging as it’s part of their job to control costs and navigate ways through exposure to risk. That’s why organisations worldwide are deploying vehicle telematics to gain more visibility into their operations. McKinsey estimates that the vehicle telematics industry will reach around $750 billion in value by 2030.
An emerging trend in fleet management systems is installing dashboard cameras. Along with locational information and detailed reports on vehicle diagnostics, dash cams, when integrated with existing telematics systems, can enhance driver and vehicle safety, prevent misconduct and accidents, and increase cost savings.
Studies show that dashcams and driving training minimised safety-related issues, lowering the instances of incidents by 60% and cost of vehicle crashes by 86%. Nonetheless, like any other technology, dashcams are evolving faster and therefore present new questions every day to fleet managers and everyday users. Commercial vehicle drivers are not, generally, keen on accepting dash cams, just like 20 years ago when the same people were not keen on on-vehicle telemetry being installed.
Whether long-haul trucks or local delivery vehicles, drivers flinch at the thought of fleet managers eyeballing their vehicles. Long-run drivers tend to eat and sleep in their vehicles. Moreover, in certain cases, they even borderline love their vehicles as they call them their home. Who would, after all, like being watched at home? Drivers feel their supervisors are spying on them, invading their privacy, and cameras’ only function is to keep tabs on misbehaving drivers.
Nevertheless, the federal government and many local states have some forms of privacy and data protection laws already in place, making disclosure critical from a legal point of view. But similarly, the same type of legislation also protects if not the right to anonymity, then the right to personal privacy. Having said that, fleet organisations have to communicate to let their drivers know the why and how of the use of dash cams.
There are plenty of reasons to deploy a dashcam in fleet vehicles. Verizon Connect Integrated Video leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and seamlessly connects to the Reveal Platform to provide fleets, managers, and drivers with many benefits. Most importantly, fleet businesses can use integrated video solutions for the benefit of both managers and drivers.
Police authorities, insurance companies, and lawyers love irrefutable proof to help unpick post-accident confusion and not having to rely on conflicting statements. That’s when a dash camera comes in handy.
Dashcams provide unbiased and accurate documentation of a crash or other incident, determining who was at fault. Getting to the root-cause of an accident is very time-consuming and dash cams remove the “he-said-she-said” aspect of many accidents. Drivers that often felt they were immediately under the boss’s suspicion after a prang now have recourse to video evidence to prove they were not at fault.
For the general public, seeing a fleet of a company’s vehicles out on the road with dashcams (and careful, considerate drivers at the wheel) promotes trust and confidence in a service. Customers get confirmation that the service they’re receiving is reliable and trustworthy, too: clearly, the company they’re dealing with is investing in their people, their processes and in safety and security in general.
Additionally, telematics’ GPS function provides valuable information such as the precise time and location of an accident to support the company’s statement of events in an investigation. Verizon Connect Integrated Video’s AI algorithms classify accidents based on severity level (e.g., collision, harsh driving event, near-miss, etc.). Fleet managers don’t have to spend days sorting the video footage as the system automatically provides the right footage from ten seconds before, to five seconds after any incident.
Irresponsible driving behaviour such as distracted driving, excessive speeding, hard braking, or sharp turns are significant causes of on-the-road collisions. Vehicle telematics provide valuable data on the speed and location of the vehicle, fuel and engine health, and vehicle performance. But with telematics-enhanced dash cams, fleet managers know what is happening in the vehicle at all times during journeys.
For example, if the system notes hard braking, you can review the video footage of the dashcam to check the context around that action. If the driver was simply being careless, that might be a cue for additional coaching to prevent such events. But if the context was something where the driver wasn’t at fault, you get to know the driver was alert, and hard braking was necessary. By showing appreciation for individuals who perform well, the roles of the dashcam (and telemetry) becomes positive for drivers and the company.
Scammers look for ways to extort money by deliberately causing an accident and claiming money for repairs or fake injuries. Dashcam footage can protect your drivers and keep such criminals at bay, helping you save money and safeguard the company’s brand reputation.
The Verizon Connect Integrated camera offers a 150-degree field of view in tandem with professional-grade HD video to give fleet managers a crystal clear picture of everything happening during each point of a driver’s journey.
Businesses can directly send this high-quality dashcam video in support of insurance claims, so accelerating the claim investigation and processes after an incident. Verizon’s solutions ensure that the video footage is available on a mobile app via Reveal on the web within a few minutes. Fleet managers can instantly access the video and disprove liability in the face of a false claim. Bay 2 Bay Scaffolding was able to discredit false complaints using Verizon Connect Integrated Video, making insurance claims much more effortless. “The cost of the tracking is nothing compared to what it will save us in insurance claims and legal expenses,” said the company CFO.
Fleet managers spend less time with vehicles off the road, save money with lower insurance premiums, fewer accidents, fewer false accusations of liability, and ensure fewer expenses on the maintenance and repairs of vehicles.
Dashcam-based telematics solutions prevent fraud, improve driving behaviour, and ensure smooth operations. Fleet managers, escaping from paperwork and administration, are free to make strategic decisions and run a profitable fleet business wherever they are, right across New Zealand and Australia. With a comprehensive and accurate view of what happens on the road, Verizon Connect Integrated Video gives transport managers the capabilities they need. Reach out to the company for a demo today.
10 April 2024
