Long days on the road for fleet vehicles and field teams mean a fleet management system must incorporate tools to foster a safety culture for all staff.
Geotab’s GO Focus Plus All-in-One video telematics solution powered by AI delivers real-time in-cab coaching to improve fleet safety and map a more efficient future.
The Australian transport industry is currently navigating one of its most challenging stretches in recent history, and the data paints a concerning picture. According to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, serious road trauma incidents are on the rise in Australia compared to the previous year.
For fleet operators, and this includes the diverse range of utility companies with teams constantly in the field, this growing risk is an ongoing concern. A recent survey indicated that 34 per cent of drivers had considered leaving the profession in the last year alone, citing long hours and unpredictable conditions. Clearly, something must change.
Enter Geotab, a global leader in connected vehicle solutions, which has just launched a technology that attempts to bridge the gap between corporate oversight and driver well-being.
The fleet management solutions company, which helps businesses electronically collect data from their commercial vehicles, has launched the GO Focus Plus All-in-One video telematics solution powered by AI. The road and driver facing dash cam is designed to address a critical industry need by delivering proactive voice support that helps drivers adjust risky driving habits in real time.
“With the GO Focus Plus , Geotab is combining connected-vehicle insights with intelligent in-cab coaching to give drivers instant support exactly when they need it,” Geotab’s Vice President, Global Markets, Sean Killen said.
“At the same time, fleet managers get the tools to foster a culture of safety that feels supportive rather than punitive, turning every alert into an opportunity for learning.”
Rather than a fleet manager reviewing footage of a near-miss three days later, the system uses Edge AI to process events directly on the device as they occur.
The AI detects hazardous behaviours, such as distracted driving, drowsiness , or tailgating, and issues an instant verbal alert.
The cutting-edge on-device processing eliminates the days-long delay of legacy systems. By analysing the road and cabin environment in milliseconds, the technology operates more like a co-pilot than a camera. It effectively reads the road to identify dangers that a distracted driver might miss and provides a verbal nudge that can prevent a momentary lapse from becoming a major incident. It also supports and absolves drivers in instances where they are not at fault, which is one area that outgoing employees have cited as a reason for leaving the industry.
The results from early pilots are significant. Geotab reports that the voice coaching functionality helped reduce tailgating in pilot programs by 90 per cent and phone use by a staggering 95 per cent. While traditional telematics has often suffered from a perception problem, dubbed the “Big Brother” effect, the GO Focus Plus positions itself more as a co-pilot that supports driver safety, rather than a monitoring device.
To achieve this, the new video intelligence platform, natively integrated into the MyGeotab platform, is designed to streamline managers’ workloads. Businesses can track location, speed, fuel consumption, and braking habits through a single-pane-of-glass workflow that surfaces only the most urgent risks. Instead of drowning in data, managers are presented with a curated feed of high-priority coaching moments that require intervention, cutting time from trawling through hours of routine driving footage.
This focus on exception-based reporting extends to positive reinforcement as well. Future iterations of the platform aim to highlight defensive driving wins, such as a driver avoiding a collision caused by another motorist, which allows companies to reward skill just as often as they correct errors. This shift towards gamification is seen as essential for improving morale and retaining talent in a sector facing chronic labour shortages.
By reducing false alerts and focusing on genuine skill-building opportunities, the technology aims to heighten trust between drivers and the back office.
“This is about more than technology, it’s about making sure every driver gets home safe at the end of the day, while helping businesses stay resilient and competitive in a challenging industry,” Killen said.
Geotab believes it is a big step towards safer fleets, healthier drivers, and improve confidence behind the wheel, which ultimately benefits everyone on the road.
Key Features of the GO Focus Plus
Proactive Driver Coaching: Video telematics powered by AI provides instant, in-cab voice prompts to drivers when risky behaviours like distracted driving (e.g., phone use, drowsiness) or tailgating, are detected, helping them correct habits.
Targeted Fleet Management: AI-driven video intelligence surfaces the most urgent risks and repeat patterns for quick review, eliminating the need for fleet managers to sort through extensive footage. Each alert includes video and contextual data, enabling targeted and effective coaching.
Seamless Workflow and Safety Culture: The MyGeotab platform allows for a seamless workflow, including the assignment, tracking, and recognition of progress, reinforcing a strong culture of safety within the fleet.
