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

But Elizabeth’s work environment is going to change, as Amazon announced this month that it has started rolling out cameras in its delivery vehicles that monitor the road as well as its drivers.

Road safety experts say Amazon’s driver monitoring should bring safety benefits to the company and anyone it shares roads with. At the same time, executives like Elizabeth are tracking themselves for what happens when cameras can investigate every movement and provide feedback that could affect their livelihoods.

Amazon (AMZN) said in a recent video that they hope the new system gives drivers ‘peace of mind’ while delivering packages, but managers like Elizabeth say they are nervous.

Amazon spokeswoman Deborah Bass told CNN Business that managers could not lose their jobs because of a single mistake, but declined to comment on how Amazon recommends partner companies to return its deliveries, coaching and discipline. Amazon said video footage from the cameras would only be sent in 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 new with the latest telemetry and advanced safety technology in last-mile trucks, driver safety training programs or continuous improvements in our mapping and routing technology, we’ve invested tens of millions of dollars in safety mechanisms in our network, and regularly communicate best practices safety to drivers. ”

Businesses that monitor commercial managers are not new. Businesses like UPS and DHL rely on telematic systems that detect driver behavior, such as seat belt use, speed, acceleration and braking. UPS says it has been relying on telematics for more than 20 years. Amazon goes further and embraces cameras that are consistently aimed at drivers, relying on artificial intelligence to provide real-time feedback. Drivers receive real-time alerts when they tighten, stop, or divert a stop sign.

Amazon executives say negative experiences with the company’s existing driver monitoring system add to their concerns.

Drivers already uses an app called Mentor that scores driving points by detecting braking, acceleration, turning, speed and distraction. But executives interviewed by CNN Business say the app can punish them unfairly because it misinterprets reasonable driving behavior. They say their smartphone falls to the floor or slips around their vehicle. Receiving a text message can be considered derivative management, they say, even if they do not check their phone to read it. Mentor scores can affect the manager’s remuneration.

The app has a 1.2 out of 5 in the Apple App Store and a 1.3 out of five in the Google Play App Store. Many reviews of the app say that it causes fear as the score may feel unpredictable.

“This app gave me nightmares!” said one reviewer in the Apple App Store.

Bark told CNN Business that Amazon is working with vendors to improve their products, but declined to comment on whether they are satisfied with the quality of the Mentor app, and if it feels that the reviews reflect the quality of the app. Amazon also refused to share data if it was shown that the new camera monitoring system improves security.

But “the potential is great,” said Matthew Camden, a researcher at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute who studied driver monitoring systems. Camden’s research found that managing driver monitoring systems reduced accidents by 38.1%. The addition of AI-powered capabilities should increase the benefits he said, as real-time feedback can coach managers to improve. According to Camden, companies offering driver monitoring systems with AI management have reported a reduction of collisions of more than 50%, but independent researchers have not yet studied the systems.

Elizabeth said there are positive aspects, such as drivers’ safety and security. She said she aimed at robbed colleagues or aimed a gun at them. (Amazon says in its video that drivers can upload material in the event of someone coming to their vehicle.)

Juan Ramos, who delivers to Amazon in Garland, Texas, told CNN Business that he likes the new safety features of the cameras, such as detecting distracted driving, speeding and following distance. The cameras can put drivers out of trouble if they are in an accident, he said. But he has heard from drivers who think the cameras will drive them, and they worry about getting into trouble or losing their jobs due to a minor offense. He said he knows of drivers who covered the cameras they were facing out of concern.

“To be fast, I have to do some things I should not do,” said Fuentes, citing the example that he often does not wear his seat belt but plugs it behind him. He declined to comment on this story.

“If a driver has to do a spin-off or back up or do something to keep the deliveries going, and it’s going to get or talk about it, I feel it’s not fair,” Ramos CNN Business said. .

Still, Amazon is possibly on the verge of a new trend.

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

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