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Lytx’s MV+AI technology explained

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By Lytx

The innovative DriveCam® helps improve fleet safety by watching for risky driving behaviours on the road and in the vehicle.

The device’s advanced machine vision (MV) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology analyses driver behaviour and nearby vehicles to determine how a driver is performing relative to their surroundings. Specific driver behaviours such as following too closely or texting while driving, trigger the DriveCam to flag and “trigger” the event.

Lytx’s MV+AI technology helps fleets by providing an expanded view of risk. The insights from MV+AI can reveal if a driver needs to work on reducing a certain behaviour or if certain risky behaviours are appearing among all drivers. If this is the case, a business-wide initiative to improve safety may need to be implemented.

Lytx’s MV+AI technology uses information from several sensors at once to identify risky situations and driving behaviours. Machine vision can see and recognise objects and behaviour by analysing images and video data. AI interprets and learns from those images and video data to determine the likelihood that a particular event or behaviour occurred. The combination of information from video and other sensors in and around the vehicle, called video telematics, provides information to help the artificial intelligence learn—similar to the way our brains rely on information from each or our senses to understand what is happening around us.

Identifying and coaching risky behaviour is one of the most important steps in improving overall fleet safety. Lytx’s fleet management solutions use machine vision and artificial intelligence technology that helps uncover previously undetected risky driving behaviours so that fleet managers can coach their drivers to improve.

Contact Lytx to see how your team can benefit from this revolutionary technology.

For more information, visit: https://www.lytx.com/en-gb/about-us/our-technology/machine-vision-artificial-intelligence

Lightfoot backs Brake’s National Road Victim Month

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Lightfoot, the award-winning in-cab driver technology and rewards platform, has announced that it is one of the chief sponsors of a major new virtual fleet safety exhibition being run and organised by Brake, as part of National Road Victim Month.

The Global Fleet Champion Virtual Fleet Exhibition, which takes place this August, sees several of the industry’s leaders in driver safety come together to help reduce accidents and fatalities experienced on the roads, not just in the UK but also around the world.

Showcasing projects, partnerships and products involving fleet operators and suppliers, the event is designed to highlight how initiatives can be used to improve road safety. Brake sees this as vital in the drive to reduce collisions caused by and involving ‘at work’ drivers, who account for one in three crashes on our roads each year.

Lightfoot, which is one of seven partners to participate in the event, has been chosen as its technology plays a key role in reducing accidents and instances of dangerous driving amongst users.  Its innovative in-cab driver feedback helps cut at-fault accidents by up to 40% and helps fleets achieve greater efficiency from their vehicles with fuel savings of up to 15%. Lightfoot additionally reduces harmful emissions by up to 15%, and wear and tear costs by as much as 45%.

Lightfoot’s impact on driver safety has led to endorsements from many of the UK’s leading Insurers and Brokers, due to the effectiveness of its pocket-sized dashboard display device, which uses live engine data to provide drivers with real-time visual and audible feedback, helping fleets to improve efficiency and safety one mile at a time.  

Lightfoot’s disruptive approach, based on nudge psychology with input from the Institute of Advanced Motorists and leading driver-behaviour experts at Bath University, uses advanced, real-time engine analytics to help drivers improve both efficiency and safety, rewarding them for being better through a unique driver gamification and rewards platform. 

Tests undertaken by Bath University’s Institute of Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems have proven a direct correlation between Lightfoot’s in-cab visual alerts and reductions in NOx. Its studies show that if drivers half the number of lights lit up on Lightfoot’s pocket-sized in-cab dashboard device, a fivefold reduction in NOx is achieved.

Encouraging smoother, safer driving, Lightfoot gives users full insight into their performance and score via its end of journey score and rewards app. The app provides access to exclusive competitions, which drivers can opt into as soon as they achieve Lightfoot’s ‘Elite Driver’ standard; the point at which fleets see the biggest falls in accidents, the best efficiencies and savings across the board. 

In addition to the highly popular cash-prize Drivers’ Lottery, drivers can enter competitions for a range of other prizes that serve as an incentive to maintain a smoother driving style.

Considered revolutionary in the fleet management and telematics worlds, Lightfoot’s disruptive approach to reducing accidents has been adopted by some of the largest companies in the market, including Virgin Media, Dixons Carphone, and South West Water. 

Martin Kadhim, Partnerships Director at Lightfoot, commented: “Safety on the roads should be an organisation’s number one priority, both to its workforce and members of the public. That sits at the heart of what we do at Lightfoot, and its why we’re big supporters of National Road Victim Month, the Global Fleet Champions campaign and its virtual exhibition.

“Our obsession at Lightfoot lies in reducing accidents on the road. It’s precisely why we reward better driving. Only if a driver wants to be better and has a vested interest in doing so can you have any certainty of actual change. Achieve that, and you instantly increase safety on the road. It’s why motivation and reward sit at the core of all we do.

“But we also go further,” adds Martin Kadhim. “On top of that, we provide fleet managers with a suite of other services and technology to better protect the health and wellbeing of their staff. This includes our First Notice of Loss (FNOL) service, enabling businesses to protect drivers by alerting fleet managers to incidents and accidents, enhancing their Duty of Care. Now, those responsible for fleets can instantly assess the level of response required following an incident and can contact drivers so that they can establish if attendance by the emergency services is required.”

Many companies who turn to Lightfoot have had telematics systems for years, which have always provided a wealth of data to managers who are then relied on to communicate this information back to drivers. Companies have realised that this approach is fundamentally broken and the wrong way around. Instead, they look to Lightfoot’s bottom-up approach to engage and reward drivers, empowering those in the driving seat to effect change. 

Using smart technology, which takes account of different factors such as load and road gradient, Lightfoot provides live, visual and audio in-cab coaching which instantly changes driving style ‘in the moment’. Combined with encouraging end-of-journey scores, rewards packages, driver leagues and the Lightfoot app, which provides weekly competitions for Elite Drivers to enter, Lightfoot is helping to create a new breed of safe and efficient drivers on our roads.

To find out more about how Lightfoot can engage with your drivers to drive fleet performance improvements, visit https://www.lightfoot.co.uk/.

To find out more about events taking place as part of The Global Fleet Champions Virtual Fleet Exhibition, visit    https://globalfleetchampions.org/virtual-fleet-exhibition/

68% think In-car technology is a dangerous distraction

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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68% of motorists say they’ve noticed an increase in other drivers being distracted by dashboard controls or using their mobile phones, but just 13% admit to being side-tracked themselves when driving.

The somewhat paradoxical findings are from a survey carried out by Venson Automotive Solutions that also shows that while 38% of drivers use hands-free/Bluetooth in-car technology for making phone calls whilst driving, nearly a fifth admitted to balancing the ‘phone somewhere to keep an eye on it, such as a cup holder, when using it as a satnav.

The survey results come as the Department of Transport (DfT) has announced a review of roads policing that will look at ways of reducing road casualties and deaths, and is asking for evidence on in-car technology and how this could be increasing accident risks as well as reducing it.

Businesses and fleet managers are recommended by Venson to impress on drivers the dangers of being distracted by their in-car tech and ensure robust processes are in place to meet their duty of care obligations. 

Drivers currently risk six penalty points on their licence and a £200 fine if they use a hand-held phone or satnav when driving. For motorists who passed their driving test within 2 years of being caught, the consequences are even more severe – they will automatically lose their licence and have to reapply and pay for a new provisional licence – passing both theory and practical parts of the driving test again to get a full licence.

However, the Venson survey shows that people’s appetite for more advanced in-car tech is growing – even if it isn’t in their current vehicle; 67% saying they would use a dashboard satnav if it were available in their car and nearly 50% of people surveyed said that they would like to have an emergency call button in their car in case of being involved in a road accident.

An app which informs the driver about the health of their vehicle’s tyres would also be welcomed by 48% of people, while 43% would make use of driver assistance technology such as cruise control, lane departure detection and speed limit exceeded notifications. 

In contrast, only 26% of people surveyed said they would like to see entertainment or lifestyle dashboard technology, such as apps that play music or offer concierge services.

Simon Staton, Client Management Director at Venson, said: “We may have some of the safest roads in the world, but anything that can be done to reduce the number of casualties on our roads is to be welcomed. The advances made in in-car technology have moved on very quickly, and as they become standard in new vehicles, the scope for driver distraction also grows. We look forward to the results and recommendations from the DfT review and would encourage businesses and fleetmanagers to get involved in the consultation process.”

The review is open for input until 5th October 2020.   More information can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/roads-policing-review-future-methods-to-improve-safety-and-reduce-causalities

Redstone Rail enhances driver safety

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Real-time audible feedback proves incredibly effective in changing driver behaviour in less than two weeks. Redstone Rail Ltd, a market leader in the supply of specialist engineering resource to the Rail industry, has announced that it has installed Lightfoot’s award-winning in-cab technology across its fleet of 30 commercial vehicles.

Introduced to ensure enhanced safety, Lightfoot’s driver behaviour technology has seen an immediate improvement in driver awareness and performance, while increasing MPG by 5.3%. 

Redstone Rail enhances driver safety.

Roger Bullivant Ltd gains massive benefit from Lightfoot

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Using Lightfoot’s industry-leading driver rewards platform, Roger Bullivant Ltd  has vastly reduced instances of poor or dangerous driving, significantly reduced vehicle idling by 7% and increased MPG by 8%, directly resulting in fuel savings worth thousands of pounds per month. 

Impressed by the impact that the in-cab device, app and rewards platform has had on its drivers, Roger Bullivant Ltd recommended that the technology was installed to commercial vehicles used by other Soletanche Freyssinet Group companies including Bachy Soletanche, Sixense Limited and Vibro Menard.

To read more about the partnership and how Lightfoot can help your fleet, click here.

SEAT experimenting with driver fatigue detection tech

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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SEAT is experimenting with technology that studies a driver’s eyes and head movement to detect if they’re falling asleep, as part of its Xplora innovation hub initiative and ongoing partnerships with Israeli start ups.

The manufacturer has partnered with Eyesight Technologies, which uses advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence to improve road safety.

The firm, based in Tel Aviv, has developed an algorithm which analyses the eye openness, angle of vision, blink rate and head position of the driver, along with other visual attributes.

In the event it detects that the driver is drowsy, asleep or perhaps distracted by their mobile phone, it will trigger an alert.

The technology can also identify the driver from previous trips and adjust the seats, mirrors, heating settings and other cabin features according to their personal preferences.

SEAT says that eventually the software will be able to detect pedestrians and analyse whether the driver has spotted them as well.

Stefan Ilijevic, the Head of Product Innovation at SEAT, said: “In total more than 90 per cent of the road accidents in Europe are caused by human factor.

“The main reasons include distraction and tiredness, excessive speed and alcohol and drugs.

“At SEAT we are working on solutions to prevent negligence behind the steering wheel and significantly reduce road accidents.

“We partner with some of the world’s brightest companies on important technology to save lives, since our long-term vision is a world with zero accidents.”

Eyesight Technologies is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, with the Mediterranean city a hotspot for tech companies – boasting 6,600 startups, 800 of which are dedicated to the car industry.

Another firm working with SEAT is Gauzy, which has developed an active glazing technology that adapts to the weather conditions.

SEAT say it could give the driver the ability to darken windows, within legal limits, to avoid being dazzled by the sun, and lighten the windows in darker environments and weather conditions.

Gauzy was started in the kitchen of one of its founders, who was looking for a way to make windows more private.

In fact, it seems Israel is a bit of a hot spot for automotive innovation – there are currently 6,600 startups in Israel, 800 of which are dedicated to the automotive industry.

SEAT launched Xplora with Champion Motors, which is the Volkswagen Group’s brand importer in Israel, and in two years has worked with more than 200 emerging Israeli businesses.

Their team is responsible for finding solutions that enhance well-being and safety, cybersecurity, sustainability and artificial intelligence.

The aim is to carry out at least 10 proofs of concept every year to test how selected innovations would adapt in vehicles and services.

Aitor Aizkorreta, the Head of Scouting for SEAT in Israel, said: “This concentration of emerging companies makes Tel Aviv one of the easiest global innovation hubs to explore for solutions that improve our cars and services.”

Ilijevic added: “If you want to be a leader of the disruption in the car industry instead of a spectator, then not only do you have to be in Tel Aviv, but in the world’s other major technology hubs as well.

“If we want to shape the future, we have to be in the most innovative ecosystems.

“It not only enables you to be the first and apply new technologies, but you can also attract the best talent, as they want to work in companies that are spearheading change.”

Coach your drivers to safety and success with a managed service video-based safety programme

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Hundreds of thousands of drivers are coached every day, (by thousands of driver trainers/coaches), using the SmartDrive® video-based safety programme. As experts on the impact of reducing risk through coaching and the resulting improvement of a fleet’s safety metrics, SmartDrive provides insights on how to put the power of coaching to use in commercial fleets, helping businesses to save lives, save jobs and save money.

The SmartDrive video-based safety programme 

SmartDrive’s experience with thousands of fleets globally, and its analysis of more than 250 million video events from commercial fleets, gives it specific insights into:

  • The shifting attitudes of drivers to safety initiatives before and after the implementation of video-based safety systems
  • The matrix of contextual data which gives fleets a genuine and detailed analysis of risk
  • The safety, financial, cultural and staff development benefits of safety interventions.

The SmartDrive programme is centred on triggered video events, which are caused by specific vehicle actions, such as harsh braking, sudden course corrections, high impact shocks, etc. Triggered video is 20-seconds in length, typically 10 seconds either side of the event.  This is uploaded automatically via the cellular network, along with GPS positioning and base telematics data, to SmartDrive’s own review centre, where it is reviewed by its highly trained safety team.  There is also an extended recording option to put greater context around an event. 

The footage is analysed against dozens of pre-determined ‘observations’ or driver behaviours and assigned a risk-score, personalised to the individual fleets’ corporate policies. This is then fed back to the customer via a dedicated, secure on-line portal, for use in driver coaching, as well as providing an extensive suite of KPI reporting, that can be drilled up or down, from company, to depot or division, to driver.  

Critical events, such as high-impact collisions can be set to trigger an immediate alert to relevant parties. Drivers can also manually trigger footage capture if necessary.

The riskiest video events, in line with the fleets’ own operating policies, are added automatically to the coaching workflow in the on-line portal.  This provides a focussed coaching workflow to guide the trainer in objective discussions with the driver. All this without the need to review hundreds of videos first – SmartDrive does all the ‘heavy lifting’ for you. 

To find out more download our free eBook, ‘The Importance of a Managed Service to an Effective Coaching Programme’ from the resource centre on our website. 

DriveTech adds to training portfolio with new “Driving Stress” workshop

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The stress of everyday life, both work and personal, can often contribute to feeling tense on the road too.

Plenty of time is spent analysing fuel efficiencies and maintenance of vehicles but we often forget the most important element, the driver.

Driving stress is doing much more harm than you think. Commuting by car while stressed can increase the risk of being involved in an accident.

But it gets worse – driving itself can further contribute to stress, causing a detrimental effect on personal health, as well as lowering job and life satisfaction.

Most of us can relate to the feeling of being stuck in traffic and the inability to do anything – even after the traffic light in front of you changes to green. This scenario can hugely elevate stress levels.

2-Hour Driving Stress Workshop by DriveTech

The newest addition to DriveTech’s fleet risk management and driver training portfolio of courses is designed to help overcome stressful driving situations by encouraging problem solving, planning and positive reframing of stressors.

DriveTech, part of the AA, is a leading provider of fleet and driver risk management services and offers a range from licence checking to fleet risk health checks to online and on road assessments and training – all helped to support the business to provide a duty of care, conform to Health & Safety legislation, and keep their drivers safe whilst reducing costs.

It is appreciated that personnel responsible for fleet and the driving community itself have busy schedules. This workshop to last just 2 hours – hopefully not adding to much additional burden and stress onto the participants!

With a recommended 20 people per session, fleet operators could potentially arrange for 60 company drivers to attend this course in one day.

As part of the course deliverables, at the end of the course, participants will be able to:

– describe why driving can be stressful

– identify the main elements that can cause stress in driving

– understand how stress can have a negative effect on their abilities to drive safely

– list common issues which can make them feel stressed

– describe some physical symptoms of stress

– recognise how driving stress can escalate into potential conflict with over road users

– acknowledge the fact everyone will experience stress at times

– explain how sometimes driving stress can be good

– list how to avoid stress on the road both from their perspective and that of other road users

Find out more on the DriveTech website – here: 

https://www.drivetech.co.uk/news-and-resources/take-the-stress-free-road

or call 01256 610907 or email tellmemore@drivetech.co.uk.

Reducing collisions and increasing driver safety

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A video-based safety programme cuts incidents and helps with fast and efficient management when they happen.

Commercial fleets and drivers have a tough job on the road and around the vehicle. Balancing legislative compliance, safety requirements and collision avoidance is not only challenging, it can also drain financial resources and increase operating costs. 

SmartDrive enables fleets to reduce the frequency, severity and financial impact of collisions. With the combination of video, driving intelligence, vehicle data and personalised performance profiles, SmartDrive’s video-based driver risk management programme gives fleets a comprehensive view of risky driving. It provides the right tools to reduce preventable collisions and exonerate not-at-fault drivers – all through an easy-to-use, fully-managed service. 

When collisions do occur, SmartDrive gives management, safety personnel and drivers a true understanding of what really happened. This helps determine causality, reduces liability and minimises fraudulent claims. The captured and analysed video also guides constructive feedback to drivers to help them operate their vehicles as safety and efficiently as possible.

Prevention is real and proven

Research shows that, on average, for every 300 unsafe driving acts, a fleet will experience 29 minor collisions and one major one. The key to eliminating collisions is in tackling the unsafe behaviours. Video-based safety provides a cost-effective, approach to identify and coach risky driving behaviour out of your fleet. In addition to reducing collision frequency, it helps fleets reduce ‘bad costs’ in terms of decreased liability and vehicle damage. It also helps improve claims accuracy and speeds resolution. Implemented properly, driver safety and security are quickly improved and drivers feel more secure in the knowledge that the system will help exonerate them when they’re not at fault. Furthermore, by focussing on developing safer and more anticipative driving across the fleet, operators can see savings in both maintenance and fuel expenses. SmartDrive provides expert analysis, with a prioritised coaching queue, that is specific to a fleet’s compliance and operating practices. It is accessible via a secure and dedicated online portal, so fleet managers and driver trainers/coaches can access a full suite of management and KPI reports to enable them to work proactively with their drivers.

To find out more email info@smartdrive.net, visit the Resource Centre on our website or give us a call on 01442 345180. 

Dangerous driving: 5 risk factors at the wheel

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Road accidents are the leading work-related fatality and a crucial issue for businesses that manage a fleet. At Masternaut, a Michelin Group company we have conducted a study based on over four million driving hours to identify and help you avoid the most common dangers behind the wheel.

Take a look at some of our key findings in the Dangerous driving: the biggest risk factors whitepaper or get in touch for more information on how you can manage the safety of your fleet.

The data collected:

  • > 50 000 vehicles observed
  • 4M hours of driving analysed
  • 192,5M km travelled
  • 15 variables studied
  • > 9M datapoints collected

Download the whitepaper

At Masternaut, a Michelin Group company, our purpose is to provide sustainable mobility through connected vehicle technology. As one of Europe’s largest fleet management service providers, with leading positions in the UK and France, we provide connected solutions for fleet tracking and optimisation, jobs management, driver safety and behaviour improvement, and CO2 emission reduction.

We believe every business is sitting on unrealised potential. Hidden in your data are insights that have the power to transform your fleet – and possibly even your business. We specialise in revealing these transformative insights so you can turn them to your advantage, helping you save money, boost your productivity, improve safety and security, delight your customers and ensure the sustainability of your business.