Posted March 7, 2023 | By: Kyle Springs
Dedicated to Keeping Drivers Safe with New In-Cab Technology
Our commitment at Nutrien is to keep the safety of our customers, communities and our people at the front of mind. To better protect our employees and communities, we have partnered with Samsara to take our driver safety to the next level. As part of this partnership, we will be using Samsara’s Video-Based Safety and Vehicle Telematics solutions in all our heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
Our fleet will be equipped with a dual-facing dashboard camera to protect our drivers from false litigation, promote driver safety, efficiency and sustainability. By using this technology, we will be able to better understand the needs of our drivers in the field to make sure everyone makes it home safe to their families and loved ones.
How it works
The dash camera is dual facing because it is able to watch the road and the vehicle’s cabin. The camera has an internal accelerometer and artificial intelligence (AI) that acts as a sensor when safety hazards occur. When the AI picks up on potentially dangerous activities such as harsh braking, sudden turns, tailgating, distracted driving, speeding or other traffic violations, an in-cab audible alert sounds telling the driver the type of unsafe driving behavior or hazard they need to correct.
Incidents corrected following in-cab alerts are considered mitigated. If incidents are found to be repetitive or to be a serious hazard, data will be flagged for a Nutrien Ag Solutions’ Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) advisor. Video recordings are taken for 10 seconds prior to and after a harsh event or alert. Nutrien Ag Solutions’ video footage is only available to be viewed by designated leaders for crashes or repetitive safety incidents.
Also included in this innovative technology is Samsara’s turnkey Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) integrations. These integrations will give us increased visibility into a vehicle’s health and utilization, as well as additional logistics, diagnostics, and asset management needs.
Benefits
During the pilot for testing this technology in Nutrien Ag Solutions’ vehicle fleet, it was found that using Samsara’s system saved significant amounts of fuel due to reduced idling time. The pilot also showed a reduction in unsafe driving practices, such as speeding, harsh braking, and distracted driving, across participating vehicles.
Other benefits of this technology are that it promotes safe driving behaviors, can help prevent crashes, and can protect drivers and Nutrien Ag Solutions from liability in false claims. The technology also strengthens drivers’ skillsets by providing event analysis, education, and coaching.
Having Samsara’s technology in our vehicles is an important milestone for our safety program. While there are many benefits from using this system in our vehicles, the most important is that it helps our drivers get home safe every day.
FEATURED LINKS
NEWSLETTER
Want to stay caught up in all things agriculture? Sign up for the newsletter and get all the latest news straight to your inbox.
From Scattered Storms to Sunshine, Weather’s Wide Range of Moods Plays a Huge Role for Growers
Posted October 8, 2021
