SmartDrive Systems announced the release of SmartSense™ for Speeding for Conditions and SmartSense for Sitting Duck. This offering features never-before-available capabilities to support and protect drivers. Tested by nationally recognized fleets, these intelligent driver-assist offerings represent an expansion of SmartDrive’s intellectual property portfolio. This helps fleets alert drivers of risky driving in poor conditions and assist drivers parked in unsafe locations. The US Patent and Trademark Office issued patents in June 2020 for the technologies.
“With insurance premiums, nuclear verdicts, and everyday driving risks skyrocketing, fleets must be able to identify hidden dangers and proactively address them,” says Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive. “When the country’s leading fleets came to us with these concerns, we knew we had to challenge the status quo to find a solution. Building on our track record of technology innovation, we’ve developed two new features to alert drivers concerning weather and safe parking. We know these solutions will not only save fleets money but, more importantly, save lives.”
Speeding for Conditions and Sitting Duck are the latest in the SmartDrive SmartSense line of intelligent driver-assist sensors that alert drivers to potentially dangerous situations before a catastrophic event occurs. Combining purpose-built sensors with computer vision, engine telematics, and accelerometer data, SmartSense enables accurate risk identification and collision mitigation.
SMARTSENSE FOR SPEEDING FOR CONDITIONS
Driving faster than the posted speed limit is not the only speeding problem facing fleets. Driving too fast for road or weather conditions, which can change rapidly and unexpectedly, accounts for 23% of truck crashes. Additionally, the severity and cost of collisions significantly increase in adverse weather conditions, often resulting in nuclear verdicts. With 70% of the nation’s roads located in regions receiving more than five inches of snow annually and vehicles requiring ten times longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement, it is imperative that fleets monitor and notify drivers of unsafe conditions.
SmartSense for Speeding for Conditions addresses these challenges by:
- Measuring vehicle speed vs. a recommended, or fleet-specified, standard for safe driving in inclement weather conditions
- Providing real-time data to assess the severity of driving too fast for conditions—particularly in fog, rain, or snow
- Alerting drivers of the risks within minutes and recommending the appropriate speed for the conditions
“From tropical storms and tornado warnings to icy roads and flooding, weather changes quickly and is normally very local in nature. As a result, commercial drivers often must deal with less than ideal conditions as they ensure essential goods are delivered,” comments Brett Sant, senior vice president, safety and risk management, Knight-Swift Transportation. “SmartSense for Speeding for Conditions allows us to proactively notify and remind drivers of these fast-changing weather conditions and recommend safe driving practices to help ensure they are operating safely in these changing environments. As a result, we have more drivers adapting safely and proactively to challenging weather conditions.”
SMARTSENSE FOR SITTING DUCK
The lack of truck parking along busy roadways and full truck stops and rest areas creates a dilemma for fleets. Drivers are often forced to park in undesignated and unsafe locations. Between mandated breaks, necessary stops, or maintenance issues, fleets often face “sitting duck” situations that put drivers at risk.
SmartSense for Sitting Duck addresses these situations that have continued to increase in recent months due COVID-19 closures. This game-changing technology:
- Detects and reports vehicles that have stopped, parked, or stalled in a potentially hazardous location
- Provides real-time data to assess the incident so immediate, corrective action can be taken
- Delivers video insight into why and where the driver is stopped or parked
Sant says drivers often find themselves in circumstances where they need assistance or need to stop in a heavily-traveled area. “SmartSense for Sitting Duck technology helps us protect our drivers by alerting management that they may need help,” Sant says. “We can then quickly advise our driver on how to handle the situation and, if necessary, provide support—or send assistance—and get them back on the road safely.”
The SmartSense features operate on the SmartDrive Transportation Intelligence Platform, the transportation industry’s first platform capable of true data convergence; as a result, intelligent data alerts can be integrated with a fleet’s existing telematics messaging system. This enables drivers to get alerts before entering an area impacted by weather so they can slow down for conditions. It also alerts those parked longer than necessary to contact dispatch.
The systems triggers manager notifications if drivers do not take corrective action. The real-time, interactive dashboards provide at-a-glance data so fleet managers can quickly identify trends and intervene before issues become widespread.
ADVANCED CAPABILITIES
“SmartDrive is positioned to combine data from multiple sources…and deliver actionable insights that improve fleet safety and efficiency,” Mitgang adds. “These patented, leading-edge capabilities are the latest example of how we are leveraging the unparalleled compute-power of our system to innovate today’s most advanced video-based safety capabilities.”
Find out more about the SmartDrive SmartSense line of safety solutions, visit www.smartdrive.net or to interact with Speeding for Conditions infographic, visit www.smartdrive.net/speeding_for_conditions.
