Page 24 - ATR 2 2019 digital

Mirror, Mirror Off the Truck

Cameras are improving driver views around their truck, and two Arkansas carriers
are piloting the technology

By Lacey Thacker
Contributing Writer

Accident trends are not improving,
and costs are increasing exponentially,
according to Stephen Fox, director of
business development at MirrorEye.
That statement is backed up by data
from the 2018 numbers that are pre-
dicted to show as much as a 32% rate
of increase on truck-involved fatalities Photo Courtesy: MirrorEye
since 2009. The industry can point
to any number of reasons, including
distracted private drivers, but many of
those reasons could be solved by pro-
viding commercial drivers with better “DRIVERS ARE EXPERTS IN DRIVING THEIR
information upon which to make deci- VEHICLES, BUT IF THEY DON’T HAVE ALL THE
sions. INFORMATION, THEY CAN’T MAKE THOSE

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE DECISIONS AS EFFECTIVELY.”
MIRRORLESS
Stoneridge, a manufacturer of —STEPHEN FOX,
electrical components and systems for DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT MIRROREYE
vehicles, is working to solve part of that
information dearth with MirrorEye, a
system that replaces traditional rear rally. They’re also designed in such a able to driver preference. At night, the
and side view mirrors with digital cam- way that the airflow over the camera camera filters light so the lane markers
eras. The five digital cameras on the wings causes water to flow away from are clearer. That same light filtering
system provide three views, including the lens. Additionally, the cameras are technology allows drivers to filter light
wide angle, narrow angle and passenger heated, and the small size of the cam- from headlights to a more comfortable
side look-down mirrors. The combined era makes for more efficient deicing. level. The interior controller allows the
image allows the driver to see every- “Inclement weather is really where we driver to pan manually and change
thing, including the rear of the trailer shine,” Fox explains. brightness and other features. There is
and the traditional blind spot. “The fre- But to be truly well-designed, the also a trailer panning feature for use
quency and costs of blind spot accidents equipment must also be easy to use. To around a curve or in an obstacle-ridden
are significant, because there’s not a that end, the cameras’ viewing screens environment. In the unlikely event of a
good technology solving that,” says Fox. are mounted in natural positions inside camera malfunction, the other cameras
The answering technology must the cab — to the right and left of the still operate.
be able to deal with harsh elements. dash. The look down view is generally The added views and the clarity of
To manage this, the camera lenses are mounted overhead, in the vicinity of the images has helped drivers better antici-
hydrophobic, so they shed water natu- overhead visor, though that’s customiz- pate what’s coming into their immedi-

24 Issue 2 2019 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT