Telstra Driver Fatigue Monitoring Trial
Telstra has begun conducting a limited trial of the Seeing Machines – Guardian Generation 3, an AI powdered fatigue and distraction monitoring system, in approximately 20 operational fleet vehicles across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
The company sought expressions of interest from a small group of employees to participate. Material from Telstra shared with your Union outlines how the system works, including in‑cabin alerts, drowsiness and distraction detection, and the involvement of the external Guardian Monitoring Centre.
CWU is actively consulting and seeking critical clarifications
As the consultation process continues through the trial, the CWU has raised a number of concerns and requested further detail to ensure the system is safe, transparent, and does not create unintended consequences for members.
The Union has now formally sought clarification from Telstra on a number of key issues, including:
- System Monitoring What indicators are tracked to assess fatigue and how frequently is driver data assessed or recorded?
- Alerts and Triggers What alerts are issued (audio, visual, haptic) and under what conditions are they triggered?
- Actions Following Alerts What happens after an alert is triggered, are events logged or escalated to team leaders and what instructions are given to employees at the time?
- Work Health & Safety Implications What WHS risks have been assessed and how does Telstra ensure the system supports safety rather than distracts drivers or creates new risks?
- Consultation to Date Were HSRs or WHS committees consulted and, if so, how was their feedback incorporated?
- Policy Impacts Has Telstra changed any safety policies or driver procedures as a result of the system?
Privacy, data use and surveillance concerns
Based on the documentation Telstra provided, the system collects data on fatigue and distraction events, including short video clips, GPS location, speed and duration of events, and stores up to 24 hours of rolling in‑vehicle data. Verified events may be accessible for up to 12 months via a portal – however, it is claimed that the system is not capable of live remote viewing.
These issues make strong policy safeguards essential. The CWU has emphasised that:
- Data must not be used for disciplinary purposes.
- Members must be clearly informed about what is collected, who can access it, and for what purpose.
- The system must not create additional distraction or WHS risk in the vehicle.
What members need to know right now
This is a trial only, that involves voluntary participants and their vehicles. At this stage, Telstra nor the Union have endorsed the system.
We are continuing to actively consult with and press Telstra for detailed answers to matters of contention. Once received, we will review the information, seek further consultation if contention remains, update members across affected workgroups and consider any implications for policy or Agreements that may need attention should Telstra seek to implement the system.
In the meantime, if you are still being asked to sign this declaration or face any threat to your employment for refusing, please contact Branch Assistant Secretaries Cameron Bird, Peter Chaloner, Barry McVee or Nick Towsend, or Branch Officials Cade Anderson, Lisa Bahls, Peter O’Connell, Brett O’Neill or Clinton Thomas on (02) 9893 7822 when calling from NSW or the ACT, (07) 3255 0440 from QLD, (08) 9227 9911 from WA or (08) 8443 7389 from SA or the NT.
