At a Glance 

•  13 automotive sites using Verkada cameras across mechanical, tyre, and suspension workshops 

• Centralised visibility in a single Command instance – no NVRs or separate logins 

• Stronger Work Health and Safety (WHS) and insurance posture with secure, easily accessible video evidence 

• Faster incident reviews – managers and HR can quickly retrieve footage from any site 

• Simple, scalable rollout – cameras self-installed with rapid replacements under a 10-year warranty 

Background 

Autoco is a Canberra-grown automotive group offering “everything for your car” —from servicing and general mechanical work to auto electrical, tyres, and suspension. Over more than three decades, the business has expanded from a single workshop into a network of mechanical and tyre shops, suspension specialists, and event hire operations across the East Coast of Australia. 

While Canberra remains the heart of the business, Autoco now operates multiple sites with constant movement of technicians, vehicles, and customers. 

“We’ve got a lot of moving parts – people and cars working in close proximity,” said Brendan Hayward, Auto Electrician. “It just reached the point where not having a proper camera system was a real shortfall for us.” 

The Challenge 

Before Verkada, Autoco relied on a few low-cost Wi-Fi cameras providing minimal oversight: 

• No unified platform 

• No reliable recording history

• No way to confidently investigate incidents across sites 

As the business expanded, strengthening incident monitoring and documentation became increasingly important, particularly around: 

• WHS and workers’ compensation claims: slips, trips, and falls in active workshop spaces

• General employee safety: monitoring of third-party persons in workshops and public-facing areas

• Customer and vehicle-related claims: disputes over pre-existing damage or workshop incidents 

• Insurance posture: growing expectations for documented evidence and risk mitigation 

“We probably got lucky for a long time without a proper system. As we grew bigger, it became clear we needed something that would scale with new locations and support WHS, workers’ comp, and insurance risk reduction.” 

The Solution: Hybrid Cloud, Centralised Command, and Simple Rollout 

Autoco began with a single trial camera. Within an afternoon, it was installed and online. 

“It was truly plug-and-play: we powered it up, added the serial number into Command, and it was ready to go.” 

Why Verkada 

Centralised Command across all sites 

• Unified dashboard with visibility across every location 

• Site-level permissions so managers only see their own workshop 

• HR and central teams can quickly access recorded footage 

Hybrid cloud architecture 

• Cameras save footage on-device and to the cloud 

• No single point of failure — recording continues even during internet outages 

• No NVRs, servers, or on-site storage to maintain 

Scalable as the business grows 

• Initial rollout of 40+ cameras across existing sites 

• New shops and additional cameras deployed seamlessly 

• Devices appear in Command immediately once added — “easy peasy” 

A camera for every environment 

• A range of options including domes, bullets, minidomes, and multisensors 

• Recent multisensor trial providing four angles from a single mounting point

Smarter Video Security for Busy Workshops 

Verkada cameras now cover Autoco’s mechanical, tyre, and suspension workshops, as well as entrances, counters, and outdoor areas. 

• Managers use live view to monitor blind spots and activity on the floor 

• HR and Brendan access recorded footage for investigations 

• Mobile app access enables quick checks during after-hours alarms 

• Ease of installation keeps deployments fast and cost-effective 

“When we open a new shop, we just order more cameras, add them to Command, and they’re there ready to go. It’s very straightforward to keep scaling.” 

WHS and Workers’ Compensation Support 

Autoco’s primary driver was strengthening Work Health and Safety (WHS). Objective video evidence helps: 

• Verify what happened when a team member reports a fall or injury 

• Understand contributing factors and identify improvements 

• Support WHS compliance and internal safety reviews 

Autoco is also intentional about how cameras are used: 

“Our policy is that cameras aren’t there to watch people all day. They’re a tool we use when we need to — especially for WHS and incident support.” 

This objective footage also strengthens Autoco’s position when working with insurers on workers’ compensation matters. 

Customer and Third-Party Claims 

Clear, verifiable video evidence has helped Autoco quickly resolve customer and third-party incidents. 

One notable incident involved a staff member who was T-boned by a vehicle exiting a driveway. A Verkada camera facing the road captured the entire collision: 

• The footage clearly showed the sequence of events 

• Liability was immediately apparent 

Any potential dispute was avoided 

Beyond this incident, Verkada provides features designed for liability protection and evidence management: 

• Defensible video record: Time-stamped, encrypted footage stored on-device for up to a year, with optional cloud archiving 

• Fast retrieval: AI-powered search surfaces footage of people, vehicles, or actions in seconds 

• Objective proof: High-resolution video provides clarity during customer or insurance reviews 

• Controlled sharing: Expiring links and full audit logs help maintain security and transparency 

“Having verifiable footage gives us peace of mind. If there’s ever a question or a dispute, we can see exactly what happened and share it easily if needed.” 

These tools help Autoco resolve issues faster, reduce administrative overhead, and avoid unnecessary claims. 

After-Hours Alarm Checks Without Rolling a Truck 

Autoco still works with its long-standing alarm provider, but Verkada now gives managers something they never had before: immediate, remote visibility into what’s happening on-site. 

Previously, a 2am alarm call meant guessing whether the alert was legitimate. A manager had to drive across town or assume nothing was wrong. 

With Verkada, managers simply: 

• Open Command on the web or mobile app 

• Pull up live camera feeds 

• Assess whether there is movement or anything out of place 

• Decide whether to escalate or dismiss the alert 

This remote verification has eliminated countless unnecessary late-night site visits and helps managers respond with confidence. 

Because Command is cloud-based, managers can securely check sites from home, on the road, or between locations — no VPNs or port forwarding required. 

“Being able to just pull out your phone, check the cameras, and know everything’s okay — that saves a lot of time and stress.” 

Reliability, Support, and Warranty 

Autoco has found Verkada’s reliability and support consistently strong. Remote diagnostics, real-time assistance, and industry-leading 10-year warranties give the team confidence that their system will stay operational across all sites. 

Support interactions are fast and straightforward — whether reviewing device health, adding new cameras, or adjusting site configurations. 

“Support has been excellent. For the few things we’ve needed help with, they diagnosed it quickly and shipped a replacement straight away.” 

Brendan also values Verkada’s regular check-ins, feature updates, and guidance on additional capabilities the team can enable over time. 

Looking Ahead: More Sites, More Value Still to Unlock 

With new tyre and mechanical sites opening, Verkada is now the standard video platform across Autoco. 

While originally deployed for WHS and insurance needs, Brendan sees further opportunities — from AI-powered alerts to advanced analytics — once the team has time to explore them. 

“The system already does everything we set out for it to do. The nice part is, there’s still a lot more we can turn on when we’re ready.” 

For other multi-site automotive operators, Brendan’s guidance is clear: 

• Start with a centralised, cloud-managed system rather than scattered NVRs 

• Choose a platform that is easy to scale as new sites come online 

• Prioritise strong support and long warranties for peace of mind 

“Whether you’ve got one workshop or fifty, having everything in one place, accessible from anywhere, just makes life easier. Verkada’s been simple to deploy, easy to manage, and it gives us the visibility we need when it matters.”