Monitoring and communication device of a vehicle

A method comprising:

• sensing one or more of a tilting orientation of a monitoring device having a camera or other optical sensor and configured to be coupled to an end of a multi-vehicle system, a pressure of a fluid in a brake system of the multi-vehicle system using a pressure sensor of the monitoring device, or movement of the monitoring device using a motion sensor of the monitoring device;
• and
• activating one or more of the camera or other optical sensor or a communication device of the monitoring device responsive to sensing the one or more of the tilting orientation of the monitoring device, the pressure of the fluid in the brake system, or movement of the monitoring device, wherein the camera or other optical sensor is capable of capturing data within a field of view of the camera or other optical sensor and the communication device is capable of communicating one or more images or video from the camera or other optical sensor only once the camera or other optical sensor and the communication device are activated.