Amazon faces spying promises over AI cameras in vans
Amazon has begun working with AI-powered cameras in delivery vans that constantly record footage of motorists and upload any mistakes they try to make.
The firm says it really is an investment safely but privacy campaigners defined it as "surveillance".
The cameras will be on a regular basis but is only going to upload footage for 16 actions, including hard braking, driver distraction and drowsiness.
One individual told CNBC the machine was even triggered by the driver yawning.
The Kentucky-based driver said if someone yawns, they'll be told to pull over for a quarter-hour.
In a statement, Amazon told the BBC: "We are investing in safety across our functions and also have rolled out several resources to supply delivery service partners with information to greatly help them keep drivers safe when they are on the highway."
The system, which Amazon has begun to install in delivery vehicles in the US, was explained in a video posted to Vimeo by Karolina Haraldsdottir, a senior supervisor of what is referred to as last mile safety.
Driveri is designed by Californian start-up Netradyne, a transportation business which merges training video and AI.
'George Orwell novel'
The machine has four high-classification cameras which can recognise "good driver patterns" and also bad, Ms Haraldsdottir says. One camera points at the driver, one on the highway and two on either part of the vehicle.
The video shows a driver looking at a cellular phone, and the system then issuing a verbal warning about driver distraction.
In a Reddit group for drivers, one commented: "YOUR GOVERNMENT in the sky really wants to watch us today. I'm praying they pay us more given that they want to view every single mistake we may make."
Director of UK-based YOUR GOVERNMENT View, Silkie Carlo, said of the machine: "Amazon's appetite for surveillance has learned zero bounds. This intrusive, regular monitoring of employees produces an oppressive, distrustful and disempowering work place that completely undermines staff' rights."
She said the firm would face a significant backlash if it attempted "Big-Brother-style personnel spying" in the UK.
A spokesperson for the GMB union said: "Instead of gimmicks, Amazon's fresh CEO should spend money on making work safe and sound for all Amazon staff and drivers.
"The thought of robot cameras nowadays keeping watch in downtrodden delivery motorists is similar to something straight away of a dystopian George Orwell novel."
Amazon has this week agreed to settle allegations that it cheated some drivers out of ideas. Under a handle the US Federal Trade Commission, it'll pay out approximately $62m (£45m).
Source: www.daily-sun.com
