More cameras installed on SAF vehicles

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is putting more cameras in all its wheeled vehicles to give them extra 'eyes' to ensure servicemen drive safely and minimise road accidents, reported The Straits Times. It will spend the next two to three years installing them in its fleet of 6,900 active wheeled vehicles such as minibuses, Land Rovers and trucks. According to tender documents obtained by The Straits Times, the cameras can record at least 10 hours of footage.

Besides capturing the front view of the vehicle and the lanes on the sides of the vehicle at the front, the cameras also need to monitor the goings-on inside the vehicle cabin. These will include footage of the driver, front passenger, steering wheel and gear stick to facilitate the recording of safety practices, to support the training of SAF personnel. A microphone with voice recording functions will also be installed.

The move comes more than three years since a trial was carried out to road test the safety features in a selected fleet of about 30 vehicles.

Besides providing direct feedback to soldiers and their supervisors, the camera recordings will also help officers conduct debriefing sessions and accident investigations. They will also be converted into case studies for safety education.