Replacing HGV mirrors with camera monitor systems
Brigade Electronics say systems such as Backeye 360 Select offer a viable alternative to mirrors
MIRRORS on HGVs can be bulky, dangerous to pedestrians when the vehicle is moving, easily broken and expensive to replace. Many operators now favour camera monitor systems over certain mirrors for indirect vision. However, an operator cannot simply replace a mirror with a camera system.
European Directives 2003/97/EC and 2007/38/EC require that ‘devices for indirect vision’ are fitted to large goods vehicles in excess of 3.5 tonnes to observe the Class V and VI traffic areas adjacent to the vehicle – the blind spot area directly beside and below the passenger door and the blind spot immediately in front of the vehicle, respectively – which cannot be observed by direct vision.
These devices can be conventional mirrors, camera-monitors or other systems able to present information about the indirect field of vision to the driver.
To replace mirrors with a camera monitor system and achieve compliance with the directives, R46 (UN ECE Regulation No 46) approved products must be used and must comply with pre-defined installation guidelines.
Brigade Electronics have achieved R46 compliance for numerous camera monitor systems, including the Backeye 360 Select system, all of which can be used in place of a conventional mirror for the Class V and Class VI areas.
Designed to assist low-speed manoeuvrability, Brigade’s Backeye 360 system works by providing the driver with an all-round view of the vehicle in a single image on the in-cab monitor. The system simultaneously blends and stitches together the live images from four ultra-wide cameras to produce a single bird’s-eye-view image.
Brigade say removing mirrors and installing a camera monitor system not only eliminates blind spots and improves safety for vulnerable road users, but also reduces the costs than can arise from damaged mirrors and bodywork.
