ORLANDO -- SmartDrive Systems now captures data via integration with a carrier's third-party active safety systems, such as collision avoidance, lane departure warning and rollover protection.

This integration expands the capabilities of the SmartDrive data and video event recording platform by capturing data generated from a carrier’s third-party active safety systems and intelligently determining the difference between a high-risk and low-risk event.

By identifying and isolating risky events and combining them with onboard video, audio, and vehicle data into a unified view, fleets can turn that information into effective driver coaching, reducing the risk of future collisions.

SmartDrive works with the most broadly deployed active safety systems on the market, including Meritor-Wabco, Bendix and Mobileye. 

Active safety systems, such as collision avoidance, lane departure, roll-over protection and antilock braking, have proven their effectiveness in preventing or lessening the severity of collisions, improving safety for fleets that invest in these technologies. However, this information is often not readily accessible. In addition, when these systems engage, the volumes of data they generate make it nearly impossible for fleets to use that information without significant investment of time and resources, note SmartDrive representatives.

“SmartDrive is a powerful complement to active safety technology, unlocking hidden value by saving fleets’ time and improving their return on investments,” said Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive Systems. “For the first time, a unified, video-based view of active safety data brings clarity to what matters, eliminating the need to search through lists of no-risk events and use that information efficiently to lower the risk of future collisions. This integration represents a major step forward in helping fleets take full advantage of the data their technology equipped vehicles are generating.”

Instant email alerts notify fleet managers of safety events as they happen on the road and are available for review via the SmartDrive streamed-video event player. The system ‘intelligently’ isolates safety events from system warnings by placing key safety ‘Compound Rules’ into its triggering algorithms. For example:

• A SmartDrive rollover event is triggered when a vehicle is going 20 mph for at least one second while the accelerometer detects a change in the trailer’s lateral motion compared to the forward motion of the cab

• A SmartDrive forward collision event is triggered when a collision avoidance warning system is activated in conjunction with a hard braking event

• A SmartDrive lane departure event is triggered when the driver departs a lane five times within 60 seconds (most likely distracted) or three times within five minutes (most likely fatigued)

By integrating active safety systems data with a video and audio view of the driver, including additional vehicle information and data descriptions of the external driving environment, the SmartDrive system is currently the only solution capable of delivering this level of insight on the risky situations that put the driver, vehicle, cargo and other motorists at risk.