Startup uses artificial intelligence to analyze vehicle driver behavior

Brazilian startup Cobli has specialized in technological solutions for vehicle fleet monitoring and management. It is currently focusing on safety and refining a tool to identify driver behavioral patterns by analyzing data collected by a solar-powered tracker. The project is based on machine learning, an application of artificial intelligence, and had the support from the São Paulo Research Foundation--FAPESP through its Innovative Research in Small Business Program (PIPE). "The algorithm uses the data collected to establish a driving profile with more than 90% accuracy," says engineer Rodrigo Mourad, a partner and co-founder of Cobli. According to Mourad, in one or two weeks of use, the system can glean a sufficient amount of data--on speed, acceleration, braking and curve angles--to produce a profile of the driver's vehicle handling habits. Directly linked to the question of traffic safety, these data also have an economic and financial impact on the fleet owner's business since aggressive driving increases fuel consumption and the cost of vehicle maintenance.