Certain elements of mining – for example haulage on public roads – still require human instinct and awareness which cannot be replicated through machines.
According to fleet management and driver safety experts MiX Telematics, the next stage of efficiency enhancements may not lie exclusively in automation, but also in technology that embraces and aides human intervention, reducing common errors and inefficient practices.
One example of MiX Telematics’ ground-breaking solutions is MiX Vision, a fully integrated in-vehicle camera system recording live and event based footage. The system also tracks vehicle performance, such as speed, braking, harsh cornering and collisions, and is also able to draw attention to poor driving through an in-cab buzzer alerting the driver in real-time to driving behaviour breaches.
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MiX Vision received a high commendation at the 2016 Australasian Brake Fleet Safety Awards and the company has just announced a significant upgrade, with the service now supporting up to four cameras, inclusive of infra-red and customizable in-cab audio.
“The addition of more cameras to MiX Vision allows us to produce even better efficiency dividends, monitoring driving conditions in the vehicle, as well as the diver,” MiX Telematics Head of Sales and Marketing Australasia, Lara Churton-Hughes said.
“We have had some very positive feedback, with a recent six-month trial resulting in one company reducing the duration its drivers were speeding from 15 hours permonth to less than 3.5 hours – a drop of over 75%.”
“The percentage of driving deemed safe by MiX’s fleat management solutions also increased from below 45% to over 82%.”
“We know from a 2015 study conducted by National Transport Insurance that of all fleet accidents occurring between 2007-2013 inappropriate speed was the leading factor each year. So reducing speed is a major efficiency factor lowering the risk of costly road accidents,”
Churton-Hughes also urged that regardless of industry,driver training remains critically important.
“Technology is a powerful tool, but it is far more powerful when matched with investment in driving technique and hazard perception training. Simple things, such as proper breaking technique can massively reduce wear on tyres,” Churton-Hughes said.
The company is well credentialed in the resources sector, with many large companies in their portfolio. In October 2015 oil field service provider Halliburton committed to implementing a MiX Telematics solution in their fleet of more than 15,000 vehicles.