Fastview360: enhancing visibility with digital wing mirror recording
Fastview360 has recently introduced a new technology, Smartview360, which offers fleets the opportunity to improve driver awareness thanks to the ability to record directly from digital wing mirrors.
Visibility is fundamental to safe driving, yet traditional vehicle mirrors have limitations, says the company, including blind spots and restricted viewing angles.
“Capturing footage from digital mirror systems allows benefits to drivers and fleet operators with improved additional evidence in the event of an incident and greater opportunities to identify and address road safety risks without the need for multiple additional cameras,” said the company.
“One of the principal benefits of digital wing mirrors is their potential to provide drivers with a clearer and more comprehensive view of the surrounding road environment. Digital systems use external cameras and in-cab displays to present footage of areas around the vehicle.”
They can help drivers monitor adjacent lanes, observe traffic approaching from behind and identify vehicles or other road users that might otherwise be difficult to see, Fastview360 explains. Recording capability can complement these visual improvements by capturing footage of the surroundings visible to the cameras. This can help fleet operators review specific driving situations, investigate near misses and understand whether visibility limitations contributed to a particular event.
“A significant benefit of Fastview360’s Smartview360 solution for digital wing mirror recording capability is the potential to provide objective visual evidence following a road traffic incident using the existing hardware cameras.
“When a collision occurs, accounts of events can differ between drivers, witnesses and other parties. Without recorded footage, determining precisely what happened may be difficult. Video captured by digital mirror camera recording can help establish the sequence of events, the position of other vehicles and the road conditions immediately before an incident.
“For fleet operators, we already know this evidence can be valuable when investigating collisions, responding to third-party allegations or supporting insurance claims.”
The ability of the system to report directly back to the company’s FVLink portal means incident handling is streamlined and footage captured of what the driver could see. The driver can add their report of events, additional footage and images of any damage caused, and collect details for anyone involved – all information collated in one place with the evidence of events.
“Recording technology can support a more proactive approach to road safety by enabling fleet managers to review, directly through FVLink, driving incidents and identify opportunities for improvement,” said Fastview360.
“Used appropriately, this information can support constructive conversations with drivers, reinforce safe driving procedures and help organisations develop training based on actual events.
“Digital wing mirror systems can improve the driver’s view of selected areas around the vehicle, with additional cameras adding to reducing blind spots. Using both internal and external warning notifications of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users (VRUs), safety becomes more audible to alert both driver and those externally who may not be fully aware they are in a dangerous area.”
Smartview360 supports up to eight cameras, including the digital wing mirror cameras, meaning less additional hardware needs to be fitted. Fastview360 highlights the savings that can be achieved both from the initial cost saving on hardware, and the opportunity to save on insurance claims where recorded footage proves who exactly is at fault.
“Over time, reviews of relevant recordings may reveal recurring issues associated with particular routes, manoeuvres or driver behaviours,” said the firm.
“Fleet managers can use these findings to refine procedures, improve training and support more informed risk assessments.
“By combining enhanced visual information with the ability to review recorded events, Smartview360 can contribute to a broader road safety strategy that considers the protection of everyone using the road.
“For commercial vehicle operators in particular, the ability to see more of the surrounding environment and review relevant footage can support better-informed decisions and more effective incident investigations…
“By supporting driver awareness, helping document road incidents and informing ongoing safety training, this technology has the potential to make a meaningful contribution to safer driving practices.”
