Motrak is adding in-cab cameras to its asset tracking system.

Paul Holdcroft (pictured), head of Motrak at parent firm Motiva Group, believes it also has the potential to produce significant savings for all types of businesses.

He said: “The popularity of in-vehicle CCTV technology has taken off in recent years led by the need to improve safety, reduce insurance costs and enhance duty of care.

“Cameras enable companies to protect themselves if one of their vehicles is involved in an accident. They’ll provide a detailed record of what happened and can lead to cheaper insurance premiums as well as faster processing of any claims.

“By developing software that incorporates cameras with our existing asset tracking system, we think we can provide our customers with a sophisticated solution that meets all of their needs.

“It will create a safety net that can deliver quantifiable improvement in both safety and costs.”

The new proposition is due to be launched before the end of the year and Motrak is already fielding enquiries with two ‘substantial’ customers having expressed a strong interest.

Holdcroft added: “Our telematics and tracking system optimises fleet operations and can help mitigate poor driving, but the addition of in-vehicle CCTV will take risk management to the next level.

“There’s quite a synergy between the two, so we see this as a natural progression and it will have a number of benefits, both to businesses who operate commercial fleets and the drivers themselves.

“It will create a seamless umbrella of preventative and protective technology.”

Holdcroft says companies which opt for the combination of telematics and in-vehicle cameras will be able to monitor the activity and behaviour of their vehicles more easily and effectively.

He added: “They’ll also demonstrate that they’re taking every measure possible to prevent accidents and protect themselves from fraudulent claims.

“With some insurers now offering discounts to businesses who fit cameras inside their vehicles, a proactive approach to reducing exposure to risk is likely to add up to significant savings on premiums.

“In-vehicle CCTV also benefits drivers, offering peace of mind against ‘crash-for-cash’ scams and sending instant, automatic alerts of any incident to a central database – enabling them to be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

“It will also provide First Notification of Loss (FNOL) as the cameras will detect an incident and send a video clip to any authorised recipient via an alert generated through the telematics gateway.”

Motrak was redeveloped last year to include fuel card technology – creating the ability for fleet managers to see precise costs per mile.

Software also features mileage capture, route overlay, driver league tables, traffic warnings and excess mileage alerts that can each be tailored to individual customers.