Solera Holdings, LLC, unveiled SmartDrive Protect at Solera Outlook 2022 in New Orleans. SmartDrive Protect, the newest addition to the Solera SmartDrive product suite, is a video-based safety solution for small fleets that provides accident exoneration, rewards safe driving, and offers the tools to coach and correct unsafe driving habits.

Research studies show that car drivers are principally at-fault in approximately three-quarters (70-75%) of fatal car-truck crashes, according to Solera. The company added that, with shrinking margins due to increasing fuel and labor costs, driver shortages, and the high costs associated with accident settlements, fleets are just one accident away from closing their doors.

Video of driving events is critical not only for exoneration but also commendation when commercial drivers drive defensively and save lives.

"With SmartDrive Protect, our number one goal is to ensure that drivers get home safe to their families," said Mark Freitas, vice president of Video-Based Solutions at Solera. "In a changing world that has increasingly more distractions, we need better ways to protect our drivers. With this solution, we are providing the key functionality needed to exonerate drivers in no-fault accidents using video, while also providing safety coaching opportunities to keep a fleet's reputation on solid ground."

SmartDrive Protect captures continuous video and leverages artificial intelligence (AI) technology to identify driver events such as harsh acceleration, 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.

Key features of SmartDrive Protect include:

• AI for both road and driver-facing cameras: Artificial intelligence monitors factors such as driver head pose, allowing fleets to see when a driver exhibits distracted behavior and enforce policies around distractions.

• Continuous video recording: When the ignition is on, front-facing and driver-facing cameras are always on recording all events, allowing fleets to host a virtual ride along or pull video from a precise time and location of a specific event.

• Dashboard with centralized data: Data is compiled in an easy-to-consume dashboard format, allowing fleets to easily spot trends from a high-level down to individual trips and drivers.

• Driver coaching workflow: Identifies risky events or trends and supports personalized closed-loop coaching sessions for drivers.