Among the display of its product suite, including its most recent acquisition of Spireon, was Solera’s new product offering: SmartDrive Protect.
Vehicle lifecycle management software provider Solera Holdings LLC revealed its newest product at Solera Outlook 2022 in New Orleans last week, along with enhancements and a new tool within its Omnitracs One platform.
SmartDrive Protect captures continuous video and uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to identify driver events like harsh acceleration and braking, cornering, speed limit violations, lane drifting, tailgating, stop sign violations and distracted driving. These events are then transferred into a coachable event workflow to ensure drivers receive feedback and complete coaching exercises to improve driving behaviors.
The video-based safety solution is purpose-built for small fleets and provides accident exoneration, among other things.
Solera said in a news release that studies show that passenger vehicle drivers are responsible for 70% to 75% of fatal car-truck crashes, but the blame is typically placed on truck drivers. The high costs associated with accident settlements or, worse, nuclear verdicts, have resulted in small fleets closing their doors. Cyndi Brandt, vice president of product marketing at Solera, said this new product could help reduce settlements and nuclear verdicts.
Jason Palmer, vice president of dealer solutions at Solera, told CCJ he has been writing depositions on cases like these for 15 years, and a common question is why an involved fleet doesn’t have cameras on its trucks.
“Fleets who've invested in these exoneration tools help avoid not only what has been the cost of funding these cases but avoid the risk and exposure to punitive damages that can put a fleet out of business or make them uninsurable, which can have catastrophic effect on their business,” Palmer said.
