Amazon Drops Plan To Track Mask Wearing by Drivers With Cameras

Amazon has scrapped a plan to use new high-tech surveillance cameras to verify whether its delivery drivers are wearing face masks on the job. From a report: The internet retail giant is in the process of installing the cameras -- which will use artificial intelligence to identify driver drowsiness, distracted driving and other risky behavior -- in its vast fleet of Amazon-branded delivery vans in the U.S., a move Amazon says is aimed at improving safety. In a recent training video for drivers, Amazon listed one previously unreported form of driver behavior it planned to use the cameras to check for -- "face mask compliance" -- according to an image of the video viewed by The Information. But after receiving questions from The Information about the plan, Amazon said it would no longer use the cameras to make sure drivers are wearing masks. The company said it made the change because its policy doesn't require drivers to wear face masks when they are alone in their vans.

Masks while alone in the vehicle?

[Jhon]

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to catch anything from a radio personality while alone in my car -- and vice versa.

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[laie_techie]

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to catch anything from a radio personality while alone in my car -- and vice versa.

I came here to say the same thing. Masks should be worn when around people not of your household. If a driver is alone in the vehicle, there's no reason to mask up.

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[Entrope]

You wear a mask to protect yourself from airborne (droplet or aerosol) virions, and to protect others from your exhalations, not from what's stuck to a surface. Contamination of packages would be a reason to wear gloves, not a mask.

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[laie_techie]

You wear a mask to feel good. It doesn't really protect you from anything but angry looks from mask fundamentalists.

A properly worn mask lessens the number of water droplets leaving your mouth and nose from reaching other people. As so many people with the virus are asymptomatic but still able to spread, it is a decent deterrent. Your mask should also limit the number of water droplets from other people from entering your body.

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[jdollatari]

exactly. I can however see a benefit to cameras and other tech keeping an eye on how the driver is driving etc.

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[Jhon]

"The delivery drivers sit in vans carrying packages that end up in people's homes..."

You mean the same drivers who sit in front of the metal partition between the front two seats and the rest of the van -- which is isolated from the front two seats? The same reason Amazon doesn't require their drivers to wear masks when they drive alone?

FTA:
"The company said it made the change because its policy doesn't require drivers to wear face masks when they are alone in their vans."

I didn't know Covid could phase th

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[Ostracus]

Now be nice. But wasn't the point of vaccination that one could go without a mask, and dispense with social distancing?

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[MobileTatsu-NJG]

Do the packages just teleport from the van to its destination then?

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[DontBeAMoran]

That's what the Amazon drones are for!

Before: The driver stops at your house/building, picks up the package(s) from the back, exits the truck which is now potentially blocking the street while he's making a single delivery, walks to the house (or to the building, where he will most certainly have to climb stairs or wait for an elevator), drops the package at your door where it can be stolen by other people, return to the truck where traffic has piled up behind the truck all this time, and drives away to the

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[alvinrod]

Weird, it's almost like it wasn't really about mask wearing at all, but as the saying goes, never let a good tragedy go to waste.

Re: Masks while alone in the vehicle?

[spinitch]

Alvinrod âoenever let a good tragedy go to waste.â China contends COVID-19 came from overseas on packing. China cites several examples. Fairly easy to disinfect, pretty minuscule amounts. Still could Separate driver area from package area for extra safety. The extra surveillance over bearing but Amazon has deep pockets that are attractive to attack. Insurance companies now offer drive recorders to lower rates , risk. Agree wearing a mask excessive if driving alone. Other measures can be done. Amaz

Re: Masks while alone in the vehicle?

[Guru2Newbie]

Is this a bot posting?

And you can also be sure ...

[King_TJ]

this project will enable a whole team of folks back at Amazon corporate offices to waste hours a day playing with the data being collected by the cameras (getting paid FAR more than the drivers) while they set up meetings to chat about the metrics.

Re:And you can also be sure ...

[DontBeAMoran]

this project will enable a whole team of folks back at Amazon corporate offices to waste hours a day playing with the data being collected by the cameras (getting paid FAR more than the drivers) while they set up meetings to chat about the imperials.

FTFY, the U.S.A. does not use metric.

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[gregersonke]

Sadly, you are correct. I think personally, it's kind of a dumb thing considering the cost of the cameras and running them they would really be better off using them more of in a passive/active method to report crimes, look out for porch pirates, etc. I don't think they will gain near enough from forcing policies through cameras and data collection. I understand the GPS tracking and external cameras for standard data collection updates to things like google maps, monitoring for would be thieves. They wou

Not because they are no longer necessary

[RogueWarrior65]

Keep in mind that the company isn't dropping the plan because the masks are no longer necessary but because THEY have DECIDED not to require them.

Drivers with Cameras

[PPH]

So what were they going to do for the drivers without cameras?

Re: Drivers with Cameras

[Guru2Newbie]

Mask their tracks.