Stoneridge MirrorEye boosts safety and fuel economy

By Categories: Commercial NewsPublished On: Wednesday 24 June 2020

Vehicle electronics provider Stoneridge has outlined the workings and benefits of its camera monitor system, MirrorEye, which it introduced as a means of combating blind-spot related accidents.

Despite the large investment and discourse surrounding artificial intelligence and autonomous technology in the transportation industry, the rate of commercial vehicle accidents globally is rising, Stoneridge points out.

The company cites European Commission figures suggesting there were almost 25,000 fatalities due to road traffic accidents in EU member states in 2016.

“Aside from the serious fact of human loss, the economic toll on the trucking industry due to accidents is substantial,” said Stoneridge.

“Fleets are impacted through paying for repairs, renting replacement vehicles, and covering towing costs. These significant figures raise the important question of why accidents are occurring, and how the transportation industry can work to diminish the rate of them.”

In the USA, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has reported that one-third of overall commercial-vehicle-related accidents are due to blind spots, Stoneridge adds – and this rate has remained relatively consistent over the last decade.

MirrorEye is a camera monitor system (CMS) designed to improve the safety of all road users in any weather or operating condition, day or night.

R46 certified (UN ECE Regulation NO 46) in Europe, it has also received an exemption from the FMCSA in the US to allow for the replacement of conventional bus or coach mirrors with a set of integrated monitors and digital cameras to improve driver visibility and awareness of vulnerable road users (VRUs).

MirrorEye addresses the issues that lead to the high rate of blind spot accidents by providing a greater field of view, says Stoneridge – eliminating common blind spots, and enhancing vision during inclement weather.

“At its core, MirrorEye was developed to improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicles, and was refined with fleets and drivers in mind,” said Jon DeGaynor, president and CEO of Stoneridge, Inc.

“MirrorEye’s high definition displays are mounted on the truck’s left and right A-pillars inside the cab, giving the driver a natural and comfortable driving experience.”

FMCSA data suggests that MirrorEye would help address about 30 per cent of fleet accidents, says Stoneridge, while fleet data indicates it could address up to 50 per cent of direct accident costs.

While safety is one of MirrorEye’s main returns on investment, improved fuel economy is another highlighted benefit of the CMS, due to its aerodynamic advantages.

When traditional mirrors are removed from the truck, MirrorEye can reduce fuel consumption and generate an operating profit improvement for the end user over the typical five-year fleet life of the vehicle, says Stoneridge.

The product is said to offer 2-3 percent improvement in fuel economy in typical applications, based on an independent study conducted on the impact of fuel consumption with MirrorEye versus traditional mirrors.

MirrorEye is increasingly being adopted by fleets and OEMs alike, says Stoneridge, and has been subject to more than 8 million miles of testing and validation in real world conditions.

www.stoneridge.com