Amazon Artificial Intelligent Powered Camera – Amazon Delivery Vans and Drivers Monitoring Camera: The “Driveri” camera and software platform, supplied by a company called Netradyne (yep) can detect and warn drivers about road violations or poor driver practices.
“We are investing in safety across our operations and recently started rolling out industry-leading camera-based safety technology across our delivery fleet,” Amazon spokesperson Deborah Bass told CNBC in a statement.
“This technology will provide drivers real-time alerts to help them stay safe when they are on the road.”
Amazon drivers at some U.S. facilities will soon have an extra set of eyes watching them when they hit the road to make their daily deliveries.
The company recently began testing AI-equipped cameras in vehicles to monitor contracted delivery drivers while they’re on the job, with the aim of improving safety.
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Amazon has deployed the cameras in Amazon-branded cargo vans used by a handful of companies that are part of its delivery service partner program, which are largely responsible for last-mile deliveries.
The cameras could be rolled out to additional DSPs over time, and Amazon has already distributed an instructional video to DSPs, informing them of how the cameras work.
Deborah Bass, an Amazon spokesperson, confirmed to CNBC that the company has begun using the AI-equipped cameras across its delivery fleet. Some details of Amazon’s plans were previously reported by The Information.
“We are investing in safety across our operations and recently started rolling out industry leading camera-based safety technology across our delivery fleet,” Bass said in a statement.
“This technology will provide drivers real-time alerts to help them stay safe when they are on the road.”
DSPs are contracted delivery providers, usually distinguishable by Amazon-branded cargo vans, responsible for picking up packages from Amazon delivery stations and dropping them off at doorsteps.
The program, launched in 2018, has allowed the company to quickly scale up its last-mile delivery capabilities and compete with shipping partners such as UPS and FedEx.
Amazon’s DSP program has faced criticism for lax safety protocols in the past. Investigations by NBC News, ProPublica and BuzzFeed News identified safety issues and described poor working conditions at some DSPs, based on interviews with drivers and former Amazon employees.
The cameras could help improve safety, but privacy advocates and several DSP drivers said they’re concerned about potential privacy tradeoffs.
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The drivers, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation from Amazon, described the cameras as “unnerving,” “Big Brother” and “a punishment system.”
How the cameras work
In the instructional video, which was seen by CNBC, Amazon says the cameras record “100% of the time” when drivers are on their route.
Amazon is using an AI-powered camera made by Netradyne, a San Diego-based start-up that was founded in 2015 by two former senior Qualcomm employees.
The camera, called Driveri, has four lenses that capture the road, the driver, and both sides of the vehicle. Netradyne did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
