Camera ‘spy-ware’ sparks new debate

Digital camera hardware for monitoring driver behaviour has no place in cabs, say critics who believe the technology is an invasion of privacy. Others, chief among them fleet owners and insurers, say the hardware is an effective way to improve drivers’ performance.

by Mike Beggs

A new digital camera which promises to, “significantly improve the driving habits of commercial drivers, teenagers, and others” should not find its’ way into Toronto taxicabs, warns long-time driver Gerald Manley.

Just introduced by the Texas-based Advanced EDR Systems, the “enviroCAM” is an Event Data Recorder that records High Definition video of aggressive driving and accidents. It has been accepting advance orders for months from corporate customers south of the border, for whom it represents a chance to bring down both the number of accidents and insurance rates.

Other video Event Data Recorders are already in wide use by commercial fleets. And Advanced EDR president Daneil D’Agostino cites, “a tremendous demand for a cost-effective product among businesses that depend on safe driving, such as taxis, and insurance companies which view this technology as a way to modify the driving behaviour of consumers, particularly teens (who are 900 per cent more likely to get in an accident, than adults).”

Made aware of this product through his involvement with the International Taxi Drivers Safety Council, Manley claims it goes beyond the purpose digital imaging was intended for in Toronto cabs (crime prevention), to the brink of invasion of privacy.

“I think it’s totally wrong,” he comments. “Cameras were brought in here strictly for workplace safety, not to spy on the driver’s every move. I would vigorously fight the implementation of this, or any similar product to be introduced to the Toronto taxi market.”

When activated by its’ “G Force Trigger” (a pendulum which triggers the filming of video, when it goes too fast in any one of four directions), the envisionCAM records aggressive driving behavior (accelerating too fast, braking too hard, turning too quickly) in high-definition video both inside and in front of the vehicle, for a period of 15 seconds before and after the event. That data is automatically and wirelessly transferred to a specified computer or server, where management can review the video using advanced EDR software (including a button which traces the path of an event using a satellite map).

Manley argues that if a cabby is driving erratically, or infracting any by-laws, “It is up to the local, provincial/state, or federal law enforcement officers to make that determination and take appropriate action”. And he feels the pressure 24-hour monitoring puts people under may actually have a negative impact on the quality of driving.

Furthermore, he questions insurance companies and fleet management having access to this kind of data, and worries that a driver might end up in front of the tribunal for a show cause hearing because of it, or that the fleet operator, “could hold it over your head.”

“We shouldn’t be under a microscope 24 hours a day. It’s totally intimidating to the driver,” he adds.

He stresses that Verif’eye Technologies, the leading supplier of digital camera technology to the Toronto taxi industry, has developed similar driver monitoring software activated by a G Force trigger.

Verif’eye director of sales Peter Salmon was surprised by Manley’s comments, suggesting that, “If he’s so in support of driver safety, accidents are the No. 1 cause of death for taxi drivers.”

He feels this product has good potential across many fleet-oriented industries. However, he’s “doubtful” it will be picked up by the Toronto cab trade, because it’s designed more for fleets than independent contractors.

He elicited little interest in talks with some of the city’s major brokers.

“I don’t think there’s going to be that many in the taxi industry,” he says. “It’s going to be limited by who is paying the insurance for everybody.”

However, Burlington Taxi owner Scott Wallace is in the midst of installing the Vereif’eye version in all 60 of his cabs, after having GPS security in place for more than a decade.

He says that while his drivers need these cameras for safety, first and foremost, this latest version of Verif’eye technology “gives us more bang for the buck.”

“My intention is to stop them from driving like maniacs,” he says. “It eliminates all of the arguments.”

“It helps out with us, because you can see exactly what happened. But more importantly you can see what the driver was doing before the accident,” he explains. “You’re trying to stop that accident from happening. We’re not trying to spy on drivers.”

When asked if this borders on invasion of privacy, he responds, “Management has a lot better things to do in life than to spy on the drivers. You’ve got to go out of your way to download video for 15 minutes. Unless you’re driving erratically, I don’t see anything anyway. But if you’re driving like a jerk, I want to see exactly what you’re doing with my taxi, my insurance, my money. Any fleet in the world that operates a vehicle has a reputation to uphold.”

Meanwhile, Rosedale Livery Ltd. has utilized similar “DriveCam” technology in its’ cars for the past seven years. Should a Rosedale driver cause the event data recorder to turn on, he or she must report to the company office to review the video with management within 24 hours, to determine if they were at fault or not.

“It’s a great tool,” says president Craig McCutcheon. “We’re doing it to improve the quality of the chauffeurs, and their driving habits. We force them to drive like they’ve got a customer on board at all times.”

To his knowledge, this technology is used by limo companies in other North American cities, but, “not so much in Toronto.”

“It’s something we added back in 2000,” he adds. “If companies want do positive things for their business, that’s their concern.”

Still, Manley worries that, “If the technology is here, sooner later somebody is going to get it in (Toronto cabs ). I don’t feel the application should be in the taxi industry, and that’s not why it was brought in here. Is it good for school buses, truckers? Maybe.”