Vehicle crime is as prevalent as ever and should continue to be a significant concern for South African businesses.
Nationally, commercial vehicle crime is dominated by hijacking. Nationally, a commercial vehicle is almost twice as likely to be hijacked as it is to be stolen.
tracker Regionally, this trend becomes even more pronounced: in the Western Cape, commercial vehicle hijacking is five times more likely than theft; In the Eastern Cape, four times more likely; And in Mpumalanga, three times more likely.
Vehicles owned by businesses range from cargo trucks with trailers to courier vehicles that deliver items ordered online. Crimes targeting these vehicles are highly profitable, with criminals having access to the vehicle, the goods being transported and the driver's personal belongings, for example, mobile phones and cash.
In the Western Cape, commercial vehicle hijacking is five times more likely than theft
— tracker
Some of this crime is premeditated and systematic, for example, key features of the vehicle are tampered with during routine truck stops, forcing drivers to stop the vehicle later to inspect warning signs.
However, often this crime occurs opportunistically when the vehicle is stopped in its tracks, for example, in a driveway during a delivery.
For a business, this crime can result in direct loss of vehicles and merchandise. However, a business may also suffer indirect losses due to supply chain disruptions.
It is therefore imperative for businesses to remain vigilant, understand the prevailing trends and adopt proactive measures to protect their assets.
Businesses can implement fleet tracking technologies to help reduce crime and protect vehicles, cargo, and drivers.
These techniques include:
AI-powered dashcams and cameras: :
AI-powered fleet dashcams that are placed in the cabin of the truck or delivery vehicle, and equipped with facial recognition at the curb with live look-in service, enable fleet managers to provide visual confirmation to the driver.
If an unauthorized person enters the vehicle, the functionality will trigger an exception notification, alerting the control center of the breach.
The control center can then see activity occurring in the cabin and take appropriate action, potentially preventing loss of vehicle and cargo.
AI dashcam Immediate improved safety for drivers is provided by monitoring driver alertness through facial recognition and alerting the driver in real-time through the speaker in response to triggers such as drowsiness, distraction and mobile phone use.
This helps drivers remain alert on the road and avoid incidents that could potentially lead to an incident.
Cameras with live monitoring features can be installed to view the surrounding environment including other vehicles, road conditions and weather
— tracker
Cameras with live monitoring features can be installed to view the surrounding environment including other vehicles, road conditions and weather. These can be used to detect external threats around the vehicle.
Legacy solutions require fleet managers to sort through and analyze hours of video footage. But AI-enabled cameras incorporate software on the device to automatically record continuous video footage when the vehicle is activated or before and after an event based on pre-configured capture triggers.
The cameras upload trigger event information to a secure online cloud-based portal and provide fleet managers with real-time alerts supported by short, curated segments of video footage.
The footage captured by these dashcams and cameras significantly enhances a business's ability to protect its drivers, fleets, cargo and logistics operations against risks on the road.
The advantage is to minimize or avoid the incident and control the resulting costs.
Geofencing:
Geofencing, powered by telematics technology, has emerged as an important tool in protecting fleet vehicles and cargo from theft and drivers from harm.
Geofencing uses Global Positioning System (GPS) and cellular technology to create virtual boundaries around specific geographic areas.
Fleet managers can virtually geofence unsafe areas and move vehicles away from identified crime hotspots.
Geofencing facilitates exception handling. Fleet managers receive instant notifications if a vehicle enters a designated high-risk zone or leaves a designated safe zone, providing real-time visibility and control over fleet activities.
Other early-warning alerts include power supply interruptions or approaching limits – including potential security compromises in theft and kidnapping.
One of the primary benefits of geofencing is its role in theft prevention. By installing geofences around designated areas, routes or facilities, fleet managers can closely monitor vehicle movements and detect unauthorized use or deviations from planned routes.
In the event of a vehicle being stolen, geofencing enables quick identification of the vehicle's location, facilitating quick recovery efforts and minimizing potential losses.
The use of geofencing features can also enhance driver safety by proactively and rapidly dealing with situations of unauthorized vehicle access and hijacking.
In short, the integration of telematics geofencing capabilities can strengthen the security of fleet operations and foster a culture of safety and vigilance within businesses.
Cargo Sensor:
Cargo-specific tracking devices and load-monitoring sensors provide the essential tools needed to monitor trailers. Fleet managers can set up designated safe and unsafe zones and receive instant notifications when any anomalies are detected with trailers.
This includes if the cargo door is opened to a location that is not marked as a delivery site, in the event of unauthorized access to the cargo hold, or if there are changes in weight distribution.
Geofenced lock and unlock capability can assure fleet managers that cargo doors will remain closed for the duration of the journey and can only be unlocked once the cargo enters a predefined area, such as the forecourt at the delivery address.
An additional security includes a remotely enabled key tag that can interface with the geofenced locking system to unlock the cargo door once the cargo is confirmed to be present at the scheduled delivery address.
Trailer tracking units also assist in cargo recovery efforts, reducing losses in the event of theft or hijacking.
Driver Assistance:
Features like a driver assistance button for emergencies can alert on-duty fleet managers to apply an extinguisher or call the driver to arrange for any necessary assistance. Businesses can also offer their drivers a subscription to Rapid Emergency Medical and Armed Response Service.
Tracker CareGuard is a mobile application designed to dispatch personal security services on demand. In case of emergency, drivers can press the panic button on the app.
Within minutes, drivers will receive a safety response from their
The nearest responder will be automatically dispatched to their exact location. They can also expect an immediate call from the controller to confirm details of the emergency.
Once the responder is dispatched, drivers will be able to view the responder's details and movement updates to track progress. Within minutes, drivers will have a safety response to help protect and assist them, and secure the vehicle and cargo.
“A crime incident in a fleet not only results in potential financial loss to the business, but more importantly, and more often than not, threatens driver safety and well-being.
“Proactive vigilance, strategic investments in technology and strong organizational policies are paramount in protecting fleets and drivers from emerging threats,” says tracker COO Duma Ngcobo.
“By staying informed and taking a holistic approach to security, businesses can reduce risks and maintain the integrity of their operations in adverse conditions.”
Visit the tracker website For more information about the company's fleet management solutions and smart vehicle tracking, driver safety and value-added services.
This article was sponsored by Tracker.