SmartWitness launches road and driver-facing dashcam

SmartWitness – a leading global provider of video telematics solutions with roots dating back to 2007 – has launched a novel dashcam that can face the road, the driver, or both.

Industry-first modular flexibility is being brought to video telematics by the new KP2 dashcam from SmartWitness. The KP2 is a compact, road-facing camera with a snap-on driver-facing camera option, enabling commercial fleets to add driver-facing video at any time with no wiring changes, no added installation cost, and no downtime.

Available immediately through telematics service providers, the KP2 includes a choice of real-time Automatic Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and driver state monitoring (DSM) features for accident prevention, plus cloud-based AI event analysis software that eliminates hours wasted reviewing false alerts of risky driving behaviour.

Driver-facing now, later, or never

The KP2’s modular design provides an easy upgrade path for fleet managers who want front-view video documentation in the event of an accident but are not yet ready to record driver behaviour inside the cab. The camera can be purchased as a road-facing solution with or without driver-facing functionality. The 1×1-inch snap-on driver-facing module can be added in seconds if needed later, eliminating the time and expense of adding a separate camera or replacing the entire system.

Fast and easy installation, repair, and replacement 

The KP2 can be installed in as little as 15 minutes by either a fleet technician or a professional installer, saving hours of deployment and associated costs. The base unit attaches to a windshield-mounted bracket, uses a mobile app and auto-calibration for setup and configuration, and connects to the vehicle’s OBDII port.

A version with a J-1939 connection for heavy-duty trucks will be released later this year. The driver-facing module can be added with plug-and-play ease. If repair or replacement is required, the entire device detaches from the bracket with no need to remove wiring from the initial installation or rewire the new or repaired unit.

Safety features with natural voice notifications

The KP2 offers a choice of real-time ADAS collision avoidance and DSM in-cab behaviour detection features to help avert accidents. ADAS options include real-time tailgating, forward collision, solid lane departure, and pedestrian presence alerts, while DSM capabilities available with the driver-facing camera include fatigue, distraction, and phone use. Real-time alert notifications are delivered in a choice of natural voices, audio beeps, or chimes.

AI event analysis to reduce false alerts

Every KP2 deployment includes SmartWitness’ cloud-based Artificial Intelligence Driving Events (AIDE) software, which significantly reduces erroneous reports of poor driving behaviour by applying telematics data and a wide range of contextual factors to refine the results. Decreasing false positives limits the number of events requiring manual review by fleet managers and reduces conflict with drivers unfairly flagged for safety violations.

“Until now, fleets deploying video telematics have had to choose between road-facing and road-and-driver-facing cameras. There was no way to add driver-facing functionality to a road-facing unit,” says Michael Bloom, head of marketing for SmartWitness | Sensata Technologies. “Our new KP2 is the first camera that gives fleets the flexibility to implement the technology in stages, ensuring they will not lose their initial investment if they decide to add the extra protection of driver-facing video at a later date.”

The SmartWitness KP2 is a 4G/LTE camera that records HD video at up to 30 FPS per channel. With a 140-degree forward-facing and 130-degree driver-facing field of vision, it contains a 64 GB SD card (upgradable to 128 GB) and measures just 126 x 82 x 64 mm including the driver-facing camera.