Lens-Tech: Fresnel lenses offer blind spot backup
Blind spot solutions provider Lens-Tech has highlighted the role its Hi Vue Fresnel lens model can play as an HGV ‘disaster recovery’ kit.
The company argues that while the use of electronic visual means to overcome mirror blind-spots, such as cameras and in-cab video monitors, offer the driver a good quality screen display, they can potentially serve to increase his workload.
“Sadly, the driver having to avert his eyes from the road ahead so as to look towards the dashboard to seek out the monitor screen has resulted in a lengthening of precious split-second visual acquisition time,” the firm suggests.
“This new phenomenon, known as ‘dashboard overload’, is the result of electronic video monitoring actually being counterintuitive.
“Quite simply, humans are geared to turn their heads and eyes towards where they perceive danger lurks – which in the case of driving a vehicle is either directly ahead or to the vehicle’s left-or-right hand window sides.”
Lens-Tech also raises the question of what happens in the event of either the camera or monitor failing or being damaged during a journey.
“It is likely that the driver will be forced to curtail the journey once ’blind’ and pull off the road in order to arrange a fix, before being allowed to continue to the destination,” said the company.
“Bearing in mind the time constraints involved in delivering a valuable cargo to a waiting customer, this lost or aborted journey time may prove extremely damaging to a transport operator.
“Understanding the huge potential financial losses involved resulting from undelivered loads, Lens-Tech is positioning its latest Hi Vue Fresnel lens model as an essential HGV disaster recovery kit, which affords an immediate blind-spot fix in seconds and enables the truck to finish its delivery, prior to having the electronic equipment repaired or replaced.”
Lens-Tech’s self-adhesive Fresnel lens is said to combine the best light-bending properties within a small (A5 size), flat PVC or acrylic lens, which press-sticks to the passenger side window and immediately affords an at-a-glance lens view into the close proximity mirror blind spot area.
Lens-Tech CEO Les Haigh added: “Fresnel lenses were introduced by the Department for Transport’s VOSA (now DVSA) more than 10 years ago and have a proven statistical record in saving lives by reducing truck mirror blind spots economically and effectively…
“Fresnel lenses are a very sensible anti-blind-spot back-up system to cover any camera or monitor electronics failure and save the resultant downtime during a truck journey. Whether already fixed to the passenger window or in standby mode in the glove box, why wouldn’t you want to be armed with a fit-in-seconds, disaster recovery anti-blind-spot lens kit?”
