If you were planning to take out a telematics package with Intelligent Telematics for your fleet, there’s now a new 3G enabled option that comes complete with a built in video camera. The Integrated IT1000 is an all in one solution, bundling together GPS tracking, a live, HD video feed, 3G connectivity and an accelerometer. While it doesn’t deliver in depth diagnostics like some telematics packages, for security, insurance fraud avoidance and driver tracking, this is an ideal solution.
The camera itself can output at 1280 x 720 resolution and records directly to the device. However, so that you don’t end up with hours and hours of footage, it only records the previous five minutes (at most) but stores anything leading up to specific “events,” which the user or fleet manager can set the threshold of. There are three potential notifications: low, medium and high, with different outcomes for each. For low and medium events, footage is locally stored to be viewed later, but “high,” events are sent straight to the cloud for analysis and could include accidents or dangerous incidents that may warrant immediate attention.
Notifications can also be sent to the fleet manager via email or text whenever one of these “events” occurs.
The video itself is backed up by solid, traditional telematics data, like an accelerometer and GPS, so the driver’s location is always known and can be mapped online by the fleet manager. Also, the manager and driver themselves can look at data on acceleration and braking, as well as overall speed, to see if there are any bad driving habits that can be improved upon. If so, the company is set to save on fuel and vehicle wear too, as better driving often leads to improvements for everyone involved – not least because the drivers themselves are safer.
Here is a Intelligent Telematics YouTube video for the IT 1000 3G Vehicle Camera.
The web interface behind the camera is also fully featured, allowing for basic data viewing, as well as real time tracking and analysed data points for later viewing. Drivers can also be ranked on their driving style, letting you know who the safest and most prompt drivers are, as well as those that may require extra training or supervision from management.
There are also certain features like timesheets and mileage printouts that can be handled completely automatically, making them more accurate and more likely to be completed at the correct time.
“Every tracking system is essentially a black box that has GPS to provide location and speed, along with an accelerometer that can record movement in three axis,” said Nick Plowman,CTO at Intelligent Telematics. “Therefore, we have recreated what is in a black box in a vehicle camera, so we can combine the functionality of both in a single system. This has enabled us to deliver an all-in-one solution that combines all the benefits of a forward-facing camera and vehicle tracking simply and cost-effectively.” This should give you an insight into the Intelligent Telematics group and their existing telematics system.
Read our related article here for Intelligent Telematics launches telematics install service.
