Lytx recently launched a partnership with fleet management platform Geotab, but that’s not the only new thing to come from the telematics provider.
Attendees of the company’s 14th-annual Lytx Protect Conference held last month in San Diego got a preview of several new features and augmentations, and the Lytx Lab team presented a deeper look into some of the concepts in development around risk detection, data modeling, and AI.
AI is a hot topic in the trucking industry of late as more tech vendors offer AI-centered solutions. Experts have said AI is only as good as the data it pulls from. At this year’s conference, Lytx celebrated surpassing 300 billion miles of commercial driving data, which informs its advanced AI models and risk detection capabilities.
“Lytx has applied AI to solve real-world problems for customers for over a decade. Now we’re leveraging the latest advancements in AI to deliver even greater value to clients,” Lytx Chief Technology Officer Rajesh Rudraradhya told the CCJ.
Two concepts the Lytx Lab team is currently focusing on are AI-powered. This includes Safety Copilot and AI-assisted Self-coaching Workflows.
The Safety Copilot tool derives instant insights from a wealth of data that can be used to create dynamic prompts and AI-curated summaries for a more tailored and effective coaching session. A coach can ask Safety Copilot a question like, “What risky behaviors are most common for this driver?” and the tool will provide an instant analysis of behavior trends along with recent events to review, Rudraradhya gave as an example.
The AI-assisted Self-coaching Workflows tool provides insights and analysis directly to drivers. For example, Rudraradhya said, a driver could receive a post-trip safety analysis, complete with insights about road conditions and visibility and videos of coachable events. This allows drivers to improve their performance without needing human intervention.
Upcoming features
Additionally, Rudraradhya said, Lytx Protect attendees were able to preview a host of upcoming features that will help customers better protect their people, equipment, and reputations. He said three features customers are particularly eager to adopt are Dynamic Risk, Fatigue, and Facial ID and Consent Management.
Dynamic Risk provides a multi-dimensional view of risk in real time based on factors such as weather conditions, pedestrian presence, road type and gradient, and distractions.
“Lytx recognizes that all risk is not created equal,” Rudraradhya said. “The risk of driving faster than the posted speed limit is very different on a clear, sunny day on a four-lane highway than it is on a winding, two-lane road in the rain.”
The Fatigue feature uses machine vision and artificial intelligence to detect early signs of drowsy driving before it becomes dangerous. The technology triggers alerts to the driver and notifications to the fleet managers so they can course correct.
Rudraradhya said effectively managing risk, recognizing safe driving, and optimizing vehicle usage all starts with knowing who is behind the wheel. The Facial ID feature ensures trips are assigned to the correct driver, while the Consent Management feature ensures drivers can easily consent to Facial ID directly in the Lytx platform.
These are some other upcoming features the company previewed during the event:
· High-Quality Video: Sharper video quality captures important details that may help with next steps, including investigations for damage or theft.
· Device Health Monitoring: We provide proactive insights for reliable system monitoring. Our dashboard is a unified interface for managing device health, including running real-time diagnostics, pinpointing errors, and resolving device status flags.
· Red light detection: Our MV+AI capabilities will allow us to detect when a driver goes through a red light, supporting safer driving.
· Pedestrian detection: This feature helps drivers navigate intersections and city streets more safely.
“We're innovating at high speed that is guided by our customers, and we remain committed to solving their toughest challenges,” Rudraradhya said.
Geotab partnership
Lytx+ with Geotab is just one example of how Lytx responds to customer feedback, he said, adding that a segment of Lytx’s customer base has been asking for a more integrated video safety and video telematics experience.
He said Lytx+ with Geotab is the first video-powered all-in-one solution from Lytx that delivers on this ask.
Lytx and Geotab are collaborating to eliminate the need for multiple systems and vendors and to streamline operations, enhance safety, and drive meaningful cost savings for fleets. The Lytx+ with Geotab integration offers one installation, one onboarding and support team, one driver app, and one data platform.
[RELATED: Geotab reseller partner acquires Shell Telematics]
Specifically, Rudraradhya said, Lytx offers device-to-device synchronization so it can pull in granular data from the Geotab device, reconcile it with DriveCam data, and provide a unified view of fleet operations.
He said this collaboration eliminates data silos for fleets and the problems that can occur when data is isolated and not easily shared across an organization.
Challenges when data is housed in different systems include limited visibility and inconsistent data, leading to less accurate data and higher costs.
“If users are required to switch back and forth between systems to see safety and telematics data, they don’t have a comprehensive, point-in-time view of their fleet,” Rudraradhya said. “Disparate systems may measure or record information in different ways, making manual integrations more challenging and complex. For example, distance might be measured in feet in one system and meters in another, requiring a manual conversion.
“Maintaining two systems adds cost and complexity to the environment,” he added. “Manual integration of data from two systems can also be costly and can introduce errors and increase points of failure.”
With Lytx+ Geotab, users can see video safety and telematics information together in a single interface, and it eliminates the need for multiple systems and manual integration as it applies consistent metrics and formats across the data.
This is the Lytx+ platform’s first offering.
“(It) is designed to include more integrations over time, particularly purpose-built solutions that address specific market needs,” Rudraradhya said. “We’re currently exploring solutions for the trucking industry.”
