On board closed circuit television (CCTV) has enabled fleet managers to improve safety, support driver training, and prevent fraudulent insurance claims, according to Brigade Electronics.
Vehicle CCTV can provide proof against insurance claims, provide protection for drivers who may have been wrongly accused as the cause of an incident, provide irrefutable evidence in the case of accidents and legal proceedings, and encourage driver best practice. Vehicle CCTV also helps to deter vandalism, according to the company.
What to consider for on board CCTV
For fleet managers thinking about installing vehicle CCTV, there are a number of items that will need to be considered before making a commitment, according to Corey Heniser, CEO.
- How is the vehicle CCTV connected, e.g., with Wi-Fi or 4G? Which connection will be better for your requirements?
- How is data accessed? Will you physically need to go to the vehicle to retrieve footage? Can it be downloaded automatically? Vehicle CCTV with a fully managed cloud service allows fleet managers to remotely access vehicle data at any time making it ideal for large and busy operators.
- What are the recording capabilities? How many hours of footage can be recorded?
- Are there suitable trigger warnings? Will it notify operators of incidents or events? How quickly will this information be received?
- Can trigger warnings be tailored to specific requirements?
- How is footage backed-up?
- Is footage tamperproof?
- Can footage be searched by time, date, and other important events?
- How easy is it to export footage?
- How many cameras are required? How many cameras can be connected?
How to install vehicle CCTV
Retrofitting vehicle CCTV might seem like a large project, but fortunately it is a relatively straightforward process for an experienced installation professional. Their expert knowledge of how the products work will ensure installation is a seamless process and completely hassle free.
Often, the main issue with vehicle CCTV is that the device doesn’t fully meet the requirements of the operator or it is difficult to use. For example, restricted field of visibility on cameras can limit a device’s capabilities, while difficulties downloading footage due to physically having to enter the vehicle can make an operator’s job arduous. Therefore, it is worthwhile fully investigating a product and its functionality before making any commitments. A good supplier will take a consultative approach to assess a customer’s needs prior to purchase and will offer a trial period for a product so that an operator can ensure it functions as it should and meets their requirements.
Source: Brigade Electronics
