A method, comprising: capturing training acceleration data by a first 3-axis accelerometer of a first telematics device (200_2) deployed in a first vehicle (100_2) and having any orientation; receiving, at a telematics server, training data comprising: the training acceleration data from the first telematics device(200_2), and a known output label in the form of a vehicle-provided reversing indication from the first telematics device (200_2), including: a vehicle speed, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2), which is greater than 0 and a reverse gear indication, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2) via an asset communications bus and an interface port of the first vehicle (100_2); training, by the telematics server, a central reversing determination machine-learning model using the training acceleration data and the vehicle-provided reversing indication; generating and sending, by the telematics server, a reversing determination model update to a second telematics device (200_1) having any orientation and coupled to a second vehicle (100_1) which does not provide a reverse gear indication; updating, by the second telematics device (200_1), an edge reversing determination machine-learning model using the reversing determination model update; capturing, by a second 3-axis accelerometer in the second telematics device (200_1), captured acceleration data for the second vehicle (100_1); determining, by the edge reversing determination machine-learning model, a machine-learning-determined reversing indication for the second vehicle (100_1) based on the captured acceleration data; and generating an alert of a reversing event at the second telematics device (200_1) in response to determining the machine-learning-determined reversing indication. capturing training acceleration data by a first 3-axis accelerometer of a first telematics device (200_2) deployed in a first vehicle (100_2) and having any orientation; receiving, at a telematics server, training data comprising: the training acceleration data from the first telematics device(200_2), and a known output label in the form of a vehicle-provided reversing indication from the first telematics device (200_2), including: a vehicle speed, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2), which is greater than 0 and a reverse gear indication, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2) via an asset communications bus and an interface port of the first vehicle (100_2); the training acceleration data from the first telematics device(200_2), and a known output label in the form of a vehicle-provided reversing indication from the first telematics device (200_2), including: a vehicle speed, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2), which is greater than 0 and a reverse gear indication, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2) via an asset communications bus and an interface port of the first vehicle (100_2); a vehicle speed, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2), which is greater than 0 and a reverse gear indication, provided by the first vehicle (100_2) to the first telematics device (200_2) via an asset communications bus and an interface port of the first vehicle (100_2); training, by the telematics server, a central reversing determination machine-learning model using the training acceleration data and the vehicle-provided reversing indication; generating and sending, by the telematics server, a reversing determination model update to a second telematics device (200_1) having any orientation and coupled to a second vehicle (100_1) which does not provide a reverse gear indication; updating, by the second telematics device (200_1), an edge reversing determination machine-learning model using the reversing determination model update; capturing, by a second 3-axis accelerometer in the second telematics device (200_1), captured acceleration data for the second vehicle (100_1); determining, by the edge reversing determination machine-learning model, a machine-learning-determined reversing indication for the second vehicle (100_1) based on the captured acceleration data; and generating an alert of a reversing event at the second telematics device (200_1) in response to determining the machine-learning-determined reversing indication.