As exciting as AI safety technology in self-driving vehicles is, optimism for the technology is starting to wane. Vehicle manufacturers and self-driving tech companies find it much harder to develop the tech to compete with human drivers. Tesla’s autopilot is unable to achieve the mythical level 3 or conditional driving automation. Wherein the system has environmental detection.
With over 160,0001 truck-related crashes in 2021, insurance premiums rising by 47% over the last 10 years2, and AI safety tech in doubt, fleets are looking to other solutions to improve fleet safety.
Why AI can’t replace the human driver? Yet…
Putting aside highly publicized failures of self-driving tech. The short answer is, the technology is still in its infancy, even after over a decade of research and development. Per mile, humans are 99.999% safer at driving3. For AI to be considered “safe” it would need to be 6x in order of magnitude.
160,0001 truck-related crashes in 2021
Humans are wired to perceive danger better than AI, and we can learn through cognition. We multitask and process danger instantaneously. Machines are great at linear tasks, adding sensors, and programming safety conditions, can help improve machine awareness. However, lifelong intuition, critical thinking, and experiences can’t be easily programmed.
The world around us
We can perceive depth. Our brain is great at processing everything we can sense and predicting other vehicle behavior. Although let’s face it, we occasionally ignore what our brain tells us and use emotion to make sense of things. Simply drive up to a car next to us, rev our engine, and chaos! Please don’t do that.
Back on topic, machines see the world in pixels. While technologies such as GPS and lidar can help machines see what’s ahead and “perceive depth.” The current state of safety technology would need to be 6x safer than humans, be able to self-learn, perceive danger, and make accurate predictions.
Humans + technology = safety?
When it comes to driving the safest hands are still our own, and most incidents are avoidable. Fleets with a safety technology solution and regular training reported 42% fewer safety incidents4. Additionally, 55% reported reduced fuel costs thanks to a fleet management solution4.
The human brain is great at processing information. Lifelong learning, societal interactions, and independent thinking empower life-saving decisions. Adding technology helps us make decisions quickly and more accurately.
Overcoming safety challenges
5.2%1 of all fatal crashes were related to distracted driving in 2020. Another 5.2%1 of fatal crashes were due to driver impairment.
To combat this rising trend fleet safety managers have deployed solutions like ELDs, dashcams, fleet management software, and safety apps, alongside regular safety training regimes. So in the meantime, driver jobs are safe from the current wave of AI technologies.
How ECMD reduced distracted driving with LifeSaver app
ECMD’s team was initially attracted to LifeSaver Mobile by the potential savings, but it quickly became clear the value was far greater. LifeSaver Mobile delivered an outstanding mobile-friendly user experience for drivers, combined with a real-time administrative dashboard that provides ease of deployment, customizability of the driver app and the dashboard, and increased visibility into driver mobile distraction. As a result, the company’s leaders have seen a decrease in collisions by their fleet drivers. Learn more or ask us about adding LifeSaver Mobile to your fleet solution.
How eSquared Communication Consulting helps safety managers
eSquared empowers fleet safety teams to keep their drivers safe. We deliver tailored, end-to-end business mobile solutions that seamlessly connect drivers, assets, and data to help our customers make insightful business decisions that grow the bottom line.
Get award-winning 24/7 help desk support and telecommunication and internet solutions. Empower your safety teams with our strategic guidance and end-to-end solutions. Let’s chat.
