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.”