New ‘self-cleaning’ wing mirror developed
A new vehicle safety equipment provider, RearClear Ltd, has designed and has a patent pending for a wing mirror said to improve vision and safety in inclement weather conditions when overtaking and reversing, by clearing rain from the mirror surface.
The new visibility product, which aims to reduce truck-related road accidents and fatalities, has been developed in collaboration with the Anglia Ruskin University.
Simon Croft, director of RearClear Ltd, said: “Our design has gained support funding from the Low Carbon KEEP programme, and features carbon reducing features within the design… We will have an ‘out of the box’ product available within 3-6 months. There is also the possibility for this to be retrofitted to vehicles too.
“We have had significant interest from potential partners from all over the world. The product is multi-faceted and it’s a rarity that technology moves onwards in the wing mirror sector. This is a major step in the right direction in reducing accidents and fatalities on the world’s roads.”
The mirror features ‘self-cleaning’ technology, which deploys new patented technology to clear water from its surface, thus increasing visibility. Accidents and cyclist side-swipes are said to be reduced, while the RearClear product also assists with mirror defrosting.
The product is said to be particularly useful in challenging operating environments such as building sites, quarries, mines and refuse depots. It should also help limit vehicle and driver downtime by reducing the need for manual cleaning.
The company claims the product will be affordable for retrofit, with no need for external heating or electrical elements. Users may see a reduction in insurance premiums due to the safety benefits, RearClear adds.
More information on RearClear is available from Simon Croft at MotorAid Ltd.
