Technology Trends and Risk Control
September 2000
Modern onboard and electronic technology creates
a tremendous amount of information that can benefit employers and employees
alike – and costs are coming down. This article describes these new devices,
including satellite systems, cellular technology/phones, trip recorders, electronic
logbooks, collision and rollover warning systems, lane guidance systems, fatigue
detectors, and antitheft technology.
by Robin Olson
IRMI
"Technology enables man to gain control
over everything—except technology"—Unknown
The utilization of technology for commercial vehicles and particularly for
motor carriers is becoming more pervasive. Modern onboard and electronic technology
creates a tremendous amount of information that can benefit employers and employees
alike. In addition, the relative cost of this technology is becoming more affordable
and, as a result, more employers are able to effectively utilize it.
Many motor carriers claim that the use of technology enhances their service
levels to the point where they can successfully pursue the more sought-after
customers. Much of the technology can lead to higher on-time delivery rates.
The following discussion focuses on some of the latest technology in use by
motor carriers and how this technology can assist the risk manager in the loss
control process.
Satellite Systems
Onboard communication systems can gather data via satellites and are used
by numerous motor carriers. These systems allow supervisors and dispatchers
to keep track of drivers and trucks on a continuous basis and can keep track
of the following types of data.
- Hours of service, which can help verify compliance with Department of
Transportation (DOT) hours-of-service requirements
- Precise speed at any given moment, including the exact time of an accident
- Vehicle performance, providing data on brake applications (indicative
of possible tailgating), tire pressures, gear shifting, and engine temperature
- Exact location at any time, which may be helpful in refuting contentions
that a motor carrier's driver drove recklessly, caused an accident, and
then left the scene
- Route deviation, which can alert the supervisor if the driver alters
the planned route
Cellular Technology and Cell Phones
Cellular technology is less costly than satellite systems and more prevalent
in its use. Cellular systems, which are user-friendly compared to satellite
systems, are comparable to cellular telephones and send data through the use
of a ground-based tower system. They provide much the same type of information
as satellite systems but are not as effective in parts of the country where
there is limited cellular activity.
Many carriers issue cell phones to each driver. These cell phones are the
lifelines between the truck driver and the outside world. By using cell phones,
drivers can relay information about a truck's location, necessary repairs, the
status of a load, and emergency situations. As with satellite communication
technology, common sense should dictate use. Cell phones should not be used
while driving.
Trip Recorders
These types of onboard recorders have been in place for many years and are
often referred to as "black boxes." For many motor carriers, these may eventually
replace the notoriously unreliable paper logbooks now used to enforce the law.
(Even when a motor carrier utilizes the new technology, it is still required
to maintain manual paper log books; however, this may change in the near future.)
Like the satellite systems, onboard recorders collect a wide range of information.
The information stays with the vehicle, usually on some type of tape device,
and it is delivered or given to the supervisor or dispatcher at the end of a
trip or on a particular schedule. The information recorded can aid in the reconstruction
of an accident. Many experts believe that these "black boxes" will become required
safety equipment on all heavy trucks in the near future.
Electronnic Logbook Systems
These software packages also are replacing the traditional logbooks used
by truckers. They keep track of drivers' hours and miles driven to assist in
following DOT laws concerning hours of service. They also can schedule routes
and verify drivers' compliance with company and DOT regulations. This type of
information can be loaded into logbook programs through cellular, satellite,
or optical scanning.
Collision Warning Systems
This is a new technology in which radar-activated flashing lights warn a
driver when he or she is advancing too quickly on another vehicle or is about
to veer into a car hidden in the truck's blind spot. One motor carrier has reported
that its front-end crash incidents have decreased 75 percent since it installed
the devices in half of its trucks.
Collision warning systems are frequently integrated with existing onboard
computer technology, such as trip recorders, to capture driver and truck performance
data including acceleration, lane deviation, and load shift.
Anti-Rollover Systems
Anti-rollover systems are a new technology that warns drivers of a potential
rollover and slows the engine when the danger becomes imminent. It uses sensors
in the vehicle's antilock brake system to track lateral acceleration and the
exact speed of the wheel. By processing this information, the system predicts
the possibility of a rollover accident. (According to a DOT study, approximately
half of the fatalities in trucking accidents involve rollovers.)
When the possibility of a rollover is detected, the device sends messages
to a display on the dash. These messages require the driver's acknowledgment
and recommend a slower speed. The highest-level warning involves an audible
alert. The control part of this device decreases engine power and applies the
engine brake when a rollover is imminent.
Lane Guidance Systems
This new technology utilizes an auditory device (rumble-strip sound) to warn
drivers when they drift out of a lane without using their turn signal. This
device utilizes a windshield-mounted camera to monitor the road and a computer
to determine when a truck comes too close to lane markings. The warning sound
is released from speakers mounted on both sides of the driver, depending on
which side the drift is occurring.
Fatigue Detectors
The National Transportation Safety Board recently estimated that 30 percent
of truck wrecks are caused by driver fatigue. Research is being performed on
the causes and prevention of driver fatigue, primarily by the federal government.
Fatigue detectors are currently being developed; the goal is to measure driver
drowsiness behind the wheel. The most promising appears to be sensors that register
the percentage of eyelid closure over the pupil—or "droopiness"—and warn drivers
when they are drowsy.
Brake Technology
New braking systems are being developed that can last up to 500,000 miles
before having to be relined and that will make relining easier as well. These
brakes have an internal adjuster that keeps them in proper adjustment and requires
little or no maintenance. The result is fewer defective brakes, which is a common
cause of trucking accidents.
Antitheft Technology
New technology can be utilized to reduce trucks and cargo theft. Antitheft
cameras are being developed that can be mounted on trucks and trailers. This
system involves a number of strategically placed, miniaturized cameras capable
of capturing images during the day or night. The software can be individually
configured to recognize a theft condition, snap images, and transmit them via
satellite to a monitoring locale. It can also be programmed to emit powerful,
high-intensity strobe lights when preset conditions occur. There are also global
tracking satellite systems that pinpoint a vehicle's exact location to more
easily locate stolen vehicles and cargo.
Conclusion
A key point to make on the new available automobile technology is that companies
should verify that this technology is used wisely. Many companies have purchased
this expensive equipment but have not taken advantage of the information it
supplies. It is essential that companies act expeditiously on the information
generated by this new technology to improve the safety environment. In addition,
the system should also be consistently monitored for necessary changes, improvements,
adjustments, and repairs.
Opinions expressed in Expert Commentary articles are those of the author and are
not necessarily held by the author’s employer or IRMI. This article does not purport
to provide legal, accounting, or other professional advice or opinion. If such advice
is needed, consult with your attorney, accountant, or other qualified adviser.