Video Telematics

Video Telematics: A Simple Guide

The number of vehicles on the road is increasing by leaps and bounds. With this increase, it’s important to know where your vehicles are, especially if they are involved in any accidents or thefts. In addition, video telematics is an emerging technology that allows you to easily track your fleet using live video streaming. Whether you are new to video telematics or looking to expand your knowledge, this guide is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the technology. So, let’s dive in and learn more about the exciting world of video telematics.

What is Video Telematics?

Video Telematics is a system that uses video to track vehicles. So, it’s an excellent way to keep an eye on your fleet, as it sends out information about the vehicles’ speed and location. You can also see what happens inside the cabins when you’re not around. This information lets you know if your drivers are safe and comply with laws or if they’re speeding or driving recklessly.

How Does Video Telematics Work?

Video telematics is a fleet management system that uses cameras to send images from the vehicle back to a central hub. Furthermore, this allows you to track your vehicles, see what they’re doing, and ensure that they operate safely. It can be used for many different purposes, including:

  • Monitoring driver behavior and performance
  • Managing routes and schedules
  • Ensuring the safety of drivers and passengers

For fleet owners, video telematics offers more than just tracking; it also gives them insight into how their business is running. Moreover, video telematics users can monitor driver behavior, routes taken by drivers, and if those routes are efficient, fuel usage patterns, and vehicle maintenance requirements—all while ensuring their assets are properly utilized.

Who Needs Video Telematics?

Video telematics is a system of monitoring and tracking information through video cameras in the vehicle. Thus, variety of organizations and industries can use this, including:

  • Fleet managers in transportation and logistics companies monitor the driving behavior of their employees and vehicles
  • Insurance companies to assess the cause of accidents and determine liability
  • Construction companies to monitor and document job site activity
  • Law enforcement agencies to record interactions with the public
  • Any company with a fleet of vehicles they want to track and monitor.

Benefits of Video Telematics

Video telematics is one of the best ways to track your vehicles. It’s easy to use, and it can help save you time and money. But it also provides a variety of benefits, including:

  1. Improved safety. – First, it can help identify and address dangerous driving behaviors, such as speeding, harsh braking, and sudden acceleration. This can lead to a reduction in accidents and a safer work environment.
  1. Increased efficiency. –  It can track the location, speed, and route of vehicles, allowing fleet managers to optimize routes and reduce fuel consumption.
  1. Reduced costs. – By identifying and addressing dangerous driving behaviors, this system can help reduce the costs associated with accidents, such as repairs and insurance claims. In addition, it can also help to reduce fuel consumption and increase the lifespan of vehicles.
  1. Better compliance. – This can help ensure compliance with regulations, such as hours of service regulations for commercial drivers.
  1. Better customer service. – It can help companies to improve their customer service by providing real-time tracking of vehicles, which can help customers to know exactly where their goods are.
  1. Better incident management. – This system can help companies to record, document, and investigate incidents, which can help to make the process more efficient and accurate.
  1. Better training and coaching. – It can train and coach employees on safe driving practices, which can help improve their driving skills.

Types Of Video Telematics Systems Available On The Market Today

There are several types of video telematics systems available on the market today, including:

Dash cams

These are cameras mounted on a vehicle’s dashboard and typically record the view through the windshield. Dash cams are primarily used for accident investigation and as a deterrent against fraudulent claims.

Forward-facing cameras

These cameras are typically mounted on the front of a vehicle and record the view of the road ahead. They are used for accident investigation and to monitor driver behavior.

Interior-facing cameras 

These cameras are mounted inside the vehicle and record the driver and passengers. They are used to monitor driver behavior and to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

GPS tracking

This technology uses global positioning systems (GPS) to track the location and movement of vehicles. Users can use their camera to provide location information for recorded footage.

Dual-facing cameras

These cameras are on the front and rear of a vehicle and record the view of the road ahead and behind. They use this for accident investigation and to monitor driver behavior.

Mobile DVR systems 

These are digital video recorders in vehicles and footage from cameras. They can store the footage locally and transmit it to a remote location for viewing and analysis.

Cloud-based video telematics systems 

These systems are hosted on the cloud and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. Moreover, they provide real-time monitoring and data analysis capabilities and can integrate with other systems such as GPS tracking, Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) and other sensor data.

Final Takeaways

The concept of Video Telematics is simple: enable real–time digital data exchange via streaming video. Also, facilitating this data exchange between design and production is a multi-step process involving extraction, transmission, analysis, and feedback. While initially developed for manufacturing purposes, there is a value-added for other types of organizations.

As promising as this technology is, it seems almost too good to be true—and it still might be. However, if used properly, the benefits that this technology brings could make a real impact on traffic safety. Moreover, this marks the dawn of a new era in transportation—the first step towards smart cities and self-driving vehicles.