Optix, the South African company that provides driver safety management and fleet efficiency solutions, is celebrating 25 years as it undertakes significant international growth.
This year, the company has made global senior hires and increased investment in technologies dedicated to preventing accidents and making roads safer.
A major milestone has been the launch of operations in Europe, which will strengthen the company’s global reach and enable it to connect closely to local markets, providing customers with on-the-ground support and services.
With established operations across Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, Optix supports customers in more than 60 countries.
Growth has been bolstered by a number of senior hires, including Damian Penney, who joins as chief revenue officer
New technological developments include the launch of Optix’s predictive fatigue detection system designed to react, prevent and predict risks across every journey.
With an algorithm that can detect 11 indicators of driver fatigue, combined with Early Warning Control Tower Services as well as a predictive Fatigue Forecast Platform, the Optix Fatigue Solution is able to proactively detect driver fatigue to prevent accidents and collisions.
Optix’s central control tower, which reviews up to 2-million videos per month, enables rapid assessment of critical-risk events and is able to notify managers within three minutes. Last year, Optix’s fatigue detection technology was instrumental in helping to save over 80 000 lives.
“Our commitment to best-in-class technology has enabled us to keep over 240 000 drivers worldwide safe over the last 25 years,’’ says Inge-Marie Hilligan, group executive for product and culture at Optix.
‘‘We are very proud of all we have achieved already but there is still work to be done. As we grow we hope to have a positive impact on even more drivers and to fulfil our vision where all road users end their journey Safely Home.”
Launched in 2000, Optix began as a pioneer of “How’s my driving?” stickers on commercial vehicles. Recognising the power of video to reduce on-road risk, the company quickly expanded to develop a suite of safety solutions under the name of DriveRisk, before becoming Optix in 2023. Today, its solutions are used by more than 1-million vehicles in more than 60 countries worldwide.