Nexar partners with the Black Car Fund to protect New York rideshare drivers with thousands of cameras in cars
Dual facing cameras and AI technology help drivers claim workers’ compensation in the case of a collision or assault
New York, NY - August 12, 2021 - Nexar, a leading AI computer vision company, announced a partnership with the Black Car Fund (BCF), New York State’s workers’ compensation provider for independent contractor black car operators, including rideshare drivers. The partnership will place cameras in thousands of cars to protect their members in the case of an accident or assault. Nexar’s AI-powered dual-camera dash cams detect collisions, immediately notify BCF, and then send a detailed reenactment of the crash within minutes, allowing BCF to begin processing their workers’ comp claim.
“The Black Car Fund was formed by a New York State statute over 20 years ago to provide workers’ comp for independent drivers who otherwise wouldn’t be insured for on-the-job injuries,'' said Ira Goldstein, Executive Director of BCF. “Drivers are often unaware of their rights and the benefits available to them and may not know where to turn to if they are injured. Nexar’s technology allows us to proactively reach out and support them when our help is most needed.”
Recent high-profile assaults on drivers and the debate surrounding their employment status have underscored the challenges faced by Uber and Lyft drivers. When there is an event with competing claims, a video recording of the incident can make all the difference.
AH is a Nexar camera user who was driving passengers for Uber when he was struck from behind. This caused his vehicle to flip over and seriously injure him. Nexar contacted AH, made him aware of the protections provided by BCF and assisted him with his claim, which, as a result of workers’ comp, covered all medical expenses and saved him from a lawsuit.
AS was driving for Lyft when a passenger violently assaulted him. The incident was captured by Nexar, and BCF was able to help the traumatized driver file a claim after the incident left him too scared to work.
“The Black Car Fund provides workers compensation along with free benefits such as basic dental and vision coverage along with other health-related benefits to approximately 100,000 drivers in New York, and we are so proud to work with them,” said Eran Shir, the co-founder & CEO at Nexar. “Our first report of loss and unique scene reconstruction will be a gamechanger for so many drivers who provide a tremendous service to millions of New Yorkers. The ability of Nexar’s AI algorithms to ‘understand’ and report an incident in real-time allows us to make a difference in yet another sector,” added Shir.
About Nexar:
Nexar-powered dash cams enable new vision-based applications for better driving. When drivers pair Nexar-powered dash cams with the Nexar app, they join a network that powers new applications for driving and seeing the world. Using anonymous, aggregated data captured from this network, Nexar has developed a portfolio of vision-based data services for public and
private sector partners to make roadways safer and more efficient. For automotive companies, dash cams are a gateway to a new era of connected services and new killer apps for drivers, from finding a parking spot to vision-based services. For insurance companies, using dash cams can change the customer experience in an accident and deliver financial and process benefits.
More information at: data.getnexar.com
About the Black Car Fund
The New York Black Car Operators Injury Compensation Fund, Inc. -- otherwise known as The Black Car Fund -- was created for the purpose of providing workers’ compensation coverage to Black Car Operators in the State of New York, the majority of whom are independent contractors. The BCF was established by state statute in 1999 and began issuing coverage in 2000. It is the nation’s only fully self-funded, self-insured and self-administered not-for-profit workers’ compensation provider.
The Black Car Fund is funded entirely by passengers in the form of a small passenger surcharge that is assessed on every ride dispatched by a Member Base. As per state law, The Fund uses a small portion of that surcharge to provide additional health-related benefits to its Covered Drivers. The Fund has grown to nearly 500 Member Bases throughout the State of New York and provides coverage to an estimated 100,000 Drivers.
More information at: www.nybcf.org
Media Contact
Lazer Cohen
lazer@westraycommunications.com
347-753-8256