Artificial intelligence-powered technology fitted to Reflex Vehicle Hire’s car and van fleet is delivering dramatic fleet risk reductions and improvements to driver safety.

Fleets have reported a 54% year-on-year fall in risk-related activity since Reflex deployed its FlexiCampro solution

Its FlexiCampro solution went live a year ago as part of the largest vehicle technology investment in Reflex’s history – and new figures show fleets have reported a 54% year-on-year fall in risk-related activity since its deployment.

The technology incorporates a driver-facing camera with in-built artificial intelligence that can recognise a range of real-world risks in real-time and generate alerts for managers.

Scenarios covered include hand-held mobile phone use, driver distraction, fatigue, whether the driver is wearing a seatbelt, and smoking (which has been prohibited in company vehicles since 2007).

The Flexicampro system also provides telematics data to identify other motoring risks, including speeding, and harsh acceleration or braking.

Reflex revealed earlier this year that live-fleet trials achieved 100% compliance with seatbelt laws for a national fleet. Now, new data has revealed a wealth of additional benefits.

Analysis shows the latest successes achieved by fleets one year after deployment of Flexicampro include:

• 92% decline in hand-held mobile phone use
• 81% fall in speeding incidents
• 61% reduction in driver distraction
• 50% fall in driving while tired
• 78% drop in smoking

The findings come amid calls for police to make greater use of AI technology to improve road safety. New research by the AA Charitable Trust revealed that 93% of drivers have seen other motorists using mobile phones – and it’s urged for new AI cameras that have proved successful in police trials to be rolled out as soon as practical.

Lisa Spong, sales director at Reflex Vehicle Hire, said: “Fleets face a wealth of hidden dangers once vehicles are out on the road, so our technology is proving essential to minimising the risks facing drivers and other road users.

“By alerting fleets in real-time to dangers, fleet managers can keep risks under control while using insights to engage drivers through training programmes, keeping employees safe from harm. As the police increasingly deploy AI technology to monitor driving behaviour, fleets also need to embrace this powerful technology.”

Flexicampro is part of the Drive with Reflex suite of risk management services that are helping to transform safety for fleets. The investment in the latest technology means that fleet managers gain access to the highest levels of safety equipment on rental vehicles, not just on their owned fleet.

Other safety investments by Reflex include vans fitted with speed limiters and hire vehicles sourced with the highest levels of safety equipment, where available, such as autonomous emergency braking.