Device helps drivers see around corners

02 Sep 2009

Seeing aroung corners and eliminating blind spots are the core functions of a newly device to help truck and bus drivers to manoeuvre more safely.

Alpine's Multi Camera technology linked with a navigation device offers the ability to see all aspects of the vehicle and its surroundings, covering dangerous blind spots when turning, parking or changing lanes. Cameras, front-mounted and on the side of the vehicle, show the view around and the information is displayed on a screen in the cab. The array of cameras can be combined to provide a real-time "top view" - giving the driver a view of the vehicle in its surroundings to enable him to park or manoeuvre safely.

Complex processing multiple camera views together with road information from a navigation database ensures the information is presented in real-time, even for larger vehicles such as articulated lorries or buses.

The first prototypes have been tested on cars, but Alpine believes the safety aspect is much more relevant for larger commercial vehicles.
Likely to be a factory fit, Alpine suggests that the technology could be on the road in less than three years.