Amazon is putting cameras in its delivery vans and some drivers are not happy

But Elizabeth’s work environment is set to change, as Amazon announced this month that it has started deploying cameras inside its delivery vehicles that monitor both the road and its drivers.

Road safety experts believe that Amazon’s driver monitoring should provide safety benefits for the company and everyone it shares roads with. At the same time, drivers like Elizabeth are bracing for what happens when cameras can scrutinize their every move, providing feedback that could impact their livelihoods.

Amazon (AMZN) said in a recent video that he hopes the new system gives drivers “peace of mind” when delivering packages, but drivers like Elizabeth say they are nervous.

Amazon spokeswoman Deborah Bass told CNN Business that drivers couldn’t lose their jobs for a single mistake, but declined to detail how Amazon recommends partner companies that make its deliveries handle the comments, coaching and discipline. Amazon said video footage from the cameras would only be sent to it under certain circumstances, including hard braking, hard acceleration and U-turns.

“Safety is Amazon’s top priority,” Amazon’s Bass said in a statement. “Whether it’s cutting-edge telemetry and advanced safety technologies in last-mile vans, driver safety training programs, or continuous improvements to our mapping and routing technology, we have invested tens of millions of dollars in security mechanisms on our network. and regularly communicate best safety practices to drivers. ”

The companies that monitor commercial drivers are not new. Companies like UPS and DHL rely on telematics systems that track driver behavior, such as seat belt use, speed, acceleration and braking. UPS says it has relied on telematics for over 20 years. Amazon is going one step further and adopting cameras that are constantly pointed at drivers, which rely on artificial intelligence to provide feedback in real time. Drivers will receive real-time warnings if they execute a stop sign, tailgate, or get distracted.

Amazon drivers say negative experiences with the company’s existing driver monitoring system are contributing to their concerns.

Pilots already use an app called Mentor which marks driving by tracking braking, acceleration, cornering, speeding and distraction. But drivers polled by CNN Business say the app may penalize them unfairly for misinterpreting reasonable driving behaviors. Their smartphone falling to the ground or sliding around their vehicle can be interpreted as a sharp turn or hard braking, they say. Receiving a text message can be considered a distracted driving, they say, even if they don’t check their phone to read it. Mentor scores can impact a driver’s pay.

The app has a rating of 1.2 out of 5 on the Apple App Store and 1.3 out of 5 on the Google Play App Store. Many reviews of the app say it causes fear as the score can seem unpredictable.

“This app has given me nightmares!” said a reviewer on the Apple App Store.

Low told CNN Business that Amazon is working with vendors to continue to improve their products, but declined to say if he is happy with the quality of the Mentor app and if he feels the reviews reflect the quality of the Mentor app. ‘application. Amazon also declined to share data on whether its new camera surveillance system improves security.

But “the potential is huge,” said Matthew Camden, a researcher at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute who has studied driver monitoring systems. Camden’s research found that older driver monitoring systems reduced crashes by 38.1%. Adding AI-powered capabilities should add to the benefits, he said, as real-time feedback can help drivers improve. Companies that offer AI-powered driver monitoring systems have reported collision reductions of more than 50%, but independent researchers have yet to study the systems, according to Camden.

Elizabeth said there were positives, such as driver safety and security. She said she had colleagues who were robbed or who had guns pointed at them. (Amazon says in its video that drivers can download footage in the event someone approaches their vehicle.)

Juan Ramos, who delivers for Amazon in Garland, Texas, told CNN Business that he liked some of the new camera safety features, such as distracted driving tracking, speeding, and traffic tracking. distance. The cameras could allay the problems for drivers in the event of an accident, he said. But he’s heard from drivers who think the cameras are going to micromanage them and worry about getting into trouble or losing their jobs for what appears to be a small infraction. He said he knew of drivers who had covered the cameras in front of them out of concern.

“To be quick I have to do things that I shouldn’t be doing,” said Fuentes, who cited the example of not wearing his seat belt often, but putting it on behind him. He declined to comment for this story.

“If a driver needs to turn around or back up or do something to keep deliveries going and they’re going to be noted or discussed about it, I think that’s not fair,” Ramos said. at CNN Business.

Always, Amazon may be on the edge of a new trend.

The market for automated cameras is expected to triple over the next five to seven years, according to Jason Palmer, an executive at Omnitracs, which offers a driver monitoring system. Amazon is relying on a system from Netradyne, which declined to comment for this story. Its competitors include Omnitracs, Lytx, Jungo and Samsara.

Amazon’s biggest delivery competitors, UPS, FedEx and DHL, have all declined to say whether they have considered using AI-powered driver monitoring systems. FedEx has previously worked with Lytx, but declined to comment on the arrangement. UPS said it briefly tested a camera unit, but has not decided to adopt it.