Fleet video telematics. Revamping safety with Streamax

Big fleets deal with big problems, and road accidents are among the most critical. Traditional GPS shows where things went wrong, but understanding why often takes time and deep data analysis. Video telematics can do both. In this article, our Product Manager, Svyat Irishin, shares how it made a real difference for a large fleet operator, helping them cut serious accidents and improve safety across the fleet.

Summary

• Video telematics adds real-time context to GPS and CAN-bus tracking, enabling proactive detection and prevention of dangerous driving behaviors like fatigue, distraction, and tailgating.
• A large fleet reduced major accidents by 70% and saw a full ROI within a year after adopting a Streamax-based video telematics solution.
• The system combined five smart cameras with AI-powered analysis, integrated into existing telematics for a complete safety and monitoring setup.
• Video insights helped improve driver discipline, reduce risky habits like phone use, and support incident investigations with clear evidence.
• Navixy now offers full Streamax integration, giving fleets a unified platform to manage both video and vehicle data side by side.

Video telematics for fleets. Cut costs and reduce crashes

For large fleets in the U.S. and Latin America, serious road accidents carry steep financial and operational costs. In the U.S., a single crash involving injury can cost up to $750,000 for non-fatal incidents. In Latin America, collisions place a heavy burden on businesses and public systems, costing transport operators millions annually. Beyond repair bills, fleets must manage insurance hikes, legal claims, vehicle downtime, and driver injuries. Every incident eats into the bottom line.

GPS and CAN-bus tracking give fleet managers visibility into speed, braking, location, and more, but that view is often incomplete and purely reactive. These systems rarely provide real-time insight into driver behavior or context.

Video telematics changes that approach. In Latin America, fleets that adopt in-cab video report tangible gains, with insurer-backed research finding 73% improved driver safety, 48% lower accident costs, and 44% lower insurance costs after rollout. Adoption is scaling too, as the Latin America automotive camera market reached $597.6 million in 2024 and is projected to exceed $1.1 billion by 2033.

Still, many fleet operators hesitate about adopting video telematics because it’s not always clear what value it actually brings. This is exactly the challenge in the case I'm sharing below. If you’re still deciding whether video telematics makes sense for your fleet or want to see how to roll it out effectively, this real-life example could be helpful.

Case background: Introducing fleet video telematics to fleet managers from the right angle

In my role at a systems integrator company, I worked closely with a large client managing a substantial commercial fleet. We provided the client with fleet management and telematics services, including installing GPS tracking devices on vehicles, providing access to tracking software, and consulting on data usage. Over time, our sales team began looking for ways to offer more value beyond basic vehicle tracking, aiming to genuinely improve the operations and safety of our clients’ fleets. However, the client’s fleet managers, who were highly experienced and knew exactly what they needed, didn't see installing video surveillance in vehicles high on their priority list, at that time. They were skeptical about adding new "gadgets" to their fleet.

A chance encounter helped shift their perspective on fleet video telematics. At an industry conference, I happened to meet the client's lead safety and occupational health specialist. During our conversation, I learned the safety department had a specific KPI focused on reducing the number of road accidents resulting in serious vehicle damage. This insight provided a new angle for our proposal. If we could offer a solution that significantly reduced accidents, the safety team would be interested, even if the fleet managers themselves hadn't initially considered it.

Proposed solution: Fleet management with dash cam and video telematics integration

After reviewing the market for accident-prevention technologies, we proposed a two-step approach. First, we would enhance our analysis of existing telematics data by leveraging vehicle CAN-bus information and GPS tracker sensor data to evaluate driving behavior, such as harsh acceleration, braking, and speeding. Second, we would introduce a video telematics system, essentially a multi-camera dash recorder with built-in AI designed for advanced driver assistance and monitoring. Such a system would not only record the road but also proactively recognize dangerous driving situations and driver behaviors in real time.

We tested several options. Initially, we explored relying solely on telematics data, using Teltonika devices connected to the CAN bus to collect insights on driving style and generate a basic driver behavior score. Additionally, we evaluated various video solutions ranging from advanced platforms like Streamax to simpler camera systems without AI analytics. It quickly became clear that a hybrid approach was optimal, combining traditional telematics data with an intelligent video system. Advanced video analytics could actively improve safety by detecting risks and providing real-time alerts, while telematics would provide broader tracking data and statistical context.

Chosen solution: Fleet video telematics with Streamax intelligent video system

After extensive testing, we chose the Streamax Intelligent Video System as our solution. This included a mobile digital video recorder (MDVR) with built-in AI to complement our existing telematics units. We installed a Streamax MDVR in each vehicle, connecting it to five different cameras and an in-cab driver display. Here's what we installed:

• Rear-view camera mounted at the back of each semi-trailer to assist with reversing. When the driver engages reverse gear, the video feed automatically displays in the cabin, helping ensure safe maneuvers.
• Side cameras (two units) installed on both sides of the trailer to cover blind spots and capture side traffic conditions. These cameras improve the driver’s situational awareness and provide reliable video evidence if an incident occurs in adjacent lanes.
• Smart driver-facing camera (DSM). This camera faces the driver, focusing on the face and upper body. It acts as a Driver State Monitoring system, detecting signs of fatigue or distraction, such as yawning, eyes closing, looking away from the road, smoking, using a mobile phone, or not wearing a seatbelt. If the system identifies dangerous behavior or drowsiness, it provides an immediate audible alert to help the driver refocus.
• Smart road-facing camera (ADAS). Mounted forward-facing, this Advanced Driver Assistance System camera recognizes hazardous road conditions, such as a dangerously short following distance, potential forward collisions, unintended lane departures, or other obstacles ahead. It instantly alerts the driver with audible warnings, helping prevent incidents before they happen.

How it works in practice

The Streamax MDVR system ties all these video feeds together and continuously records all camera angles. Even more importantly, its built-in AI analyzes footage in real time. When risky driving behavior or a hazardous situation occurs, the system immediately flags the event, saves the relevant video clip, and sends instant alerts to the driver and fleet managers. This proactive safety management approach goes beyond simply recording events for later review. It actively warns and coaches drivers in real time to prevent incidents. Essentially, we achieved a powerful integration between traditional telematics data (like harsh driving events from the CAN data) and intelligent video analytics. With Streamax’s AI-powered ADAS and DSM features, our client gained an extra layer of awareness, safety, and protection for drivers and their fleets.

Deployment and results: Video telematics integration across a large fleet

We started by installing the solution as a pilot on a small number of vehicles. After a successful trial period, we gradually expanded the rollout to cover the client’s entire fleet of about 300 trucks. To minimize downtime, installation was carefully phased, with each truck's MDVR and cameras installed within just a few hours. Drivers were initially hesitant about having cameras installed, but after proper training and firsthand experience with the system’s alerts, many quickly recognized its value. In several instances, the real-time ADAS and DSM alerts prevented potentially serious incidents. For example, alarms from the driver-monitoring camera effectively woke up drivers who were starting to nod off.

Impact on safety and finances

Within the first year after the full deployment, the client experienced a roughly 70% reduction in major accidents, a result that greatly exceeded the safety department’s expectations. The financial benefits were significant as well. Fewer accidents meant lower repair costs, less vehicle downtime, and fewer insurance claims, which allowed the company’s investment in video telematics to pay for itself within a year. Simply put, the system saved the company substantial money by actively preventing costly accidents.

Improved driver behavior

No less important was the clear improvement in driver discipline across the fleet. Knowing their driving habits were being monitored, drivers quickly adopted safer practices. Incidents involving harsh braking or acceleration dropped significantly, and we virtually eliminated mobile phone use while driving. Additionally, recorded video footage became invaluable when investigating road incidents, providing objective evidence to clearly establish responsibility or to exonerate drivers when needed.

Conclusion

This case clearly shows how integrating telematics data with intelligent video analytics can lead to meaningful improvements in fleet safety. Although the client’s fleet managers were initially hesitant about adopting video systems, connecting the solution to a core KPI — reducing major accidents — helped shift their perspective. In the end, the client saw a significant drop in incidents and related costs, while we expanded the value we delivered beyond standard GPS tracking.

In recent years, adoption of fleet video telematics has grown rapidly, and that momentum continues as camera systems and onboard AI become more advanced. But adopting video solutions today isn’t just about choosing the right hardware. It's also about making the most of the data, aligning video with GPS tracker inputs, CAN-bus readings, and other sensor-based insights to get a full picture of what’s happening on the road. That’s exactly why Navixy now offers full integration with Streamax. With this combined platform, fleet operators can monitor both video and vehicle data side by side, all in one place. It’s a unified, efficient way to manage fleet safety, driver behavior, and operational risks with better context and faster response.

If you’d like to explore how Navixy’s video telematics solutions can support your fleet, or see the Streamax integration in action, reach out to our team for a live demo or a quick consultation.