Rand McNally has unveiled a new feature within its SafetyDirect solution, leveraging a cutting-edge Practical AI framework to significantly streamline the review process of safety events for fleet managers. The new capability, Automated Event Ranking (AER), utilises machine learning to methodically analyse driver and vehicle performance data, a function that has shown to reduce the manual review of safety incidents by an impressive 70%.
AER, which marks the first application of the Practical AI framework, is designed to categorise and prioritise safety events automatically. This allows fleet managers to devote more attention to critical incidents, significantly diminishing the need to sift through non-urgent data. The efficiency achieved has allowed for quicker decision-making, contributing to improved fleet safety and operational effectiveness.
Andre Tokman, the Global Head of Data Science at Rand McNally, expounded on the technology’s intent, stating, “Data is only as valuable as it is actionable. The idea is to take big data and make it feel smaller and more useful—not just overwhelm our customers with more of it.” This indicates a shift from merely gathering data to providing actionable insights directly relevant to enhancing fleet safety.
The system works by collecting data from proprietary onboard Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), monitoring various safety events such as sudden braking and lane departures and ranking them by severity. This process efficiently filters out false positives and delivers insights that are directly applicable to improving driver safety and, therefore, the overall fleet governance.
The practical application of AER in a real-world setting has been exemplified by Bill Woolsey, Safety Director at Freymiller. Woolsey remarked, “We coach our drivers directly from the SafetyDirect data, which enables us to quickly and easily separate key signals from ‘noise’ in the data. That saves us time and makes our coaching more precise and effective.” The feature thus not only optimises time management but enhances the quality of driver coaching.
Rand McNally, a company with a rich legacy stretching over 165 years, aims to go beyond safety management with its practical use of AI. The firm plans to apply these insightful tools to other areas such as predictive maintenance and vehicle health monitoring. This strategic move is expected to elevate fleet efficiency by enabling pre-emptive maintenance actions and addressing vehicle issues proactively, ensuring smooth operations of fleets managed under their systems.
With innovations like AER, Rand McNally continues to integrate advanced technological solutions with its longstanding tradition of reliability, contributing to smarter and safer journeys across global roads and highways. As the company moves forward, additional features and applications of Practical AI are anticipated to emerge, keeping them at the forefront of fleet management technology and safety solutions.
Source: Noah Wire Services