Netradyne expands driver safety program with real-time alerts, mobile app

In just about two years’ time, Netradyne has made a name for itself with its artificial intelligence-influenced driver video coaching platform. The company, though, is not resting on what it has already accomplished and is now pushing forward by adding real-time notifications and a mobile app to its positive-recognition platform.

The Driveri RealTimeCoach and Driveri MobileCoach app will both be available in the second quarter of this year, Adam Kahn, vice president of fleet, told FreightWaves. Both help fleets maintain that connection to drivers with positive reinforcement or improvement coaching as needed.

Driveri is a vision-based driver recognition safety program that captures every minute of the driving experience to provide a complete view of a driver’s day, including positive driving behaviors, exoneration events and areas for individualized coaching. RealTimeCoach and MobileCoach are extensions of that platform. 

It can change the driver’s behavior to assist that single safety manager who might 50 drivers to monitor and doesn’t have the time to address each issue, Kahn said.

RealTimeCoach is an in-vehicle audible notification system that triggers warnings when a driver’s behavior is creating a potentially risky situation. Utilizing AI, the system coaches the driver on speed, following distance, harsh driving and seatbelt utilization. Drowsy and distracted driving and collision warning alerts are also included.

Kahn explained that a fleet could toggle on and off notifications if it isn’t interested in monitoring a particular behavior.

The inclination is that constant notifications in the cab of the vehicle could become annoying, but Kahn learned first-hand that it does work. He explained that the RealTimeCoach was placed in his car during testing and he kept getting notifications related to his behavior. Shortly, though, the notifications stopped, so he consulted with the engineering team, assuming they made adjustments to the system. Turns out, they didn’t and what happened was Kahn unknowingly started changing his driving behavior – the exact reaction the system is designed to generate from drivers.

Driveri already records all these behaviors and through the use of artificial intelligence provides context around these situations for safety managers and drivers. Currently, this information is collected and reviewed and oftentimes shown to the driver at a later date. The RealTimeCoach addition changes that. Kahn explained that in larger fleets, there might be one safety manager for 50 or more drivers, making it impossible for that person to stay on top of behaviors on a daily basis.

The RealTimeCoach fills that gap, he said. The addition of the Driveri MobileCoach app on select Android and iOS devices allows the safety manager to transmit video of good or bad driving situations recorded by the system to drivers.  

“I like the [app] because now we have an electronic conversation, [which is important] because maybe the driver is out on the road for two weeks,” Kahn said.

Kahn noted that like all Netradyne’s efforts, the primary goal for any fleet safety manager should be to highlight positive driving behaviors as much as negative ones.

“Data [by itself] is bad,” Kahn explained. “Being able to supply meaning and action, that’s when data is good.

“Driver recognition and the ability to deploy safety in a meaningful way is easy and it doesn’t need to be underserved,” he added.

Netradyne’s “DriverStar” program, launched last fall, is part of the positive behavior approach. The program is part of the Driveri platform and an extension of the GreenZone feature, which tracks driver behavior by constantly analyzing and assessing performance (e.g. compliant driving, traffic light compliance, following distance, stopping at stop signs, etc.).

DriverStar alerts fleet safety managers immediately of great driving decisions made by drivers immediately, giving safety managers the opportunity to recognize and reward extraordinary driving behaviors.

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