The introduction of AI has allowed a number of industries to make their methodologies faster and more accurate. However, the trucking industry is among those industries that have failed to implement the use of AI to modernize their functionalities. Improving road safety standards has always been a priority for the trucking industry, especially because of the significant presence of trucks on the nation’s highways.
Highway Travel Has Become More Dangerous
Over the years, traffic deaths reached a 16-year high in 2021, with truck crash deaths jumping 13% year over year, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Estimates also reveal that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2022. Even though the deaths are lower than the estimated 42,939 fatalities recorded in 2021, the number of accidents and deaths shouldn’t be this high.
Trucking Industry Must Leverage AI Technologies to Prevent Accidents
Accidents that occur due to unsafe driving behavior and additional distractions can be prevented, potentially saving the lives of thousands every year. The potential actions that can help industry in reversing the dangers on the road include the implementation of existing and new AI technologies to assist drivers in safe travel. However, not all AI technologies yield the same results when it comes to improving road safety standards.
Among the various possible solutions, Motive’s all-in-one fleet management system has emerged as the right choice as it uses the power of AI to enhance fleet safety. Their AI-powered platform assists drivers in maintaining road safety with accurate, real-time driver coaching and accident detection.
Gary Johnson, Head of Safety and Compliance Strategy at Motive, states “In 2023, there is no reason we should be having the crashes we have. Technology is to the point where education and visibility should be driving prevention”.
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) conducted a controlled test track study in which the results favored Motive’s AI-powered dash cam over other competitor’s solutions, as the former raised alerts for six unsafe driving behaviors 86% of the time, compared to the latter’s 21% and 32%.
Unreliable AI: A Hurdle Safety Managers and Vehicle Operators
Although the use of AI would help improve road safety standards, the industry remains vigilant of unreliable AI that fails to deliver consistent accuracy. For example, an AI solution that successfully detects cellphone use only 2 times out of 5 would be an inaccurate solution. On the other hand, AI solutions should also not create too much noise and disturbance to the driver, as it can create frustration during long-distance traveling. If the constant alerts lead to distraction, the driver will eventually ignore the alerts, making the solution ineffective.
Since there are still some obstacles in AI implementation that require attention, the utilization of tools like Motive’s AI-powered dash cam is not yet prevalent across the trucking industry. However, once the authorities start seeing effective results, they will surely welcome the chance to make highway travel safer.
