Leading fleet camera and video telematics provider Centrad says this year’s CV Show highlighted a growing shift in fleet operator priorities, with remote access to CCTV systems now becoming a key operational requirement rather than a ‘nice to have’.

With fleet CCTV now well established after years of widespread adoption, operators are turning their attention to the next stage – unlocking greater value through real-time access and control.

While AI and telematics continue to evolve, operators still view reliable video evidence as the foundation of effective fleet protection.

A recurring theme from discussions on the Centrad stand was the operational risk created by a lack of remote access to footage. Many operators shared experiences of discovering that camera systems had failed to record upon physically removing the hard drive from a vehicle and attempting to review the footage manually on a laptop or PC device.

In some cases, this has been caused by relatively minor issues such as blown fuses or hardware faults. But without real-time visibility, these problems can go unnoticed for extended periods, rendering the system ineffective when it is needed most.

This creates a domino effect of challenges, particularly in the event of an incident. Police and insurers increasingly expect access to video evidence as part of the claims process, and without it, operators can find themselves exposed – both legally and financially. The absence of footage can also compromise First Notification of Loss, delaying claims resolution and increasing administrative burden which consumes both time and resource.

The issue is further compounded for fleets operating on long routes or multi-day schedules, where delays in accessing footage can lead to data being overwritten before it is ever reviewed.

For larger fleets, managing CCTV systems can represent a significant administrative task in its own right. Remote access enables teams to retrieve footage within minutes, rather than waiting for vehicles to return to site and transport managers having to manually extract and review the footage.

There is also a growing focus on tackling fraudulent claims. From low-speed impact disputes to alleged damage caused by commercial vehicles, operators are under increasing pressure to defend against false accusations. Without reliable, readily available footage, doing so becomes significantly more difficult – turning avoidable claims into an unnecessary overhead.

In response to these challenges, Centrad is supporting operators with solutions designed to bring CCTV systems into a more connected, proactive era. Its CenHub platform provides a centralised interface for accessing and managing footage remotely, while 4G-enabled hardware allows for live and on-demand video retrieval without the need for physical intervention. The system also delivers real-time health alerts, notifying operators immediately if a camera stops recording or if a fault occurs, eliminating the risk of issues going unnoticed.

In addition, CenHub simplifies the process of sharing footage with third parties. Files can be compressed and securely distributed at the click of a button, removing the delays often caused by file size restrictions and back-and-forth communication with insurers or authorities.

Geoff Cross, Managing Director at Centrad, commented: “Camera systems have been part of fleet operations for many years now, and operators absolutely recognise the value they bring. What we’re seeing now is a clear shift towards wanting more control, more visibility and ultimately more confidence that those systems are doing what they’re supposed to do.

“At the CV Show, it was striking how many operators had experienced issues with footage not being available when they needed it. At a time when fleet operating costs continue to rise, operators are becoming less willing to accept these ‘necessary evils’ of running a fleet. The ability to quickly access and share footage is increasingly seen as essential, particularly during the critical ‘golden hour’ following an incident.

“Remote access changes the game. It means operators can check system health in real time, retrieve footage within minutes and share it instantly with insurers or the police. It turns CCTV from a passive recording tool into an active, reliable part of fleet risk management and gives operators greater operational confidence which not only helps protect their bottom lines, but also their reputation.”