Scania Envisions A Future With Digital Rear-View Mirrors
When you’re driving a truck, visibility is one of the biggest challenges you face, not only in terms of staying in your lane or keeping your cargo safe, but also in watching out for other drivers on the road, pedestrians, bicyclists, and more. The unfortunate fact is that conventional rear-view mirrors have blind spots, and they also just generally take up a lot of the driver’s field of view. Scania, with the help of RISE and Stoneridge Electronics AB, is trying to make this challenge a thing of the past with digital rear-view mirrors that will give drivers a clearer view of the road.
Prototyping The Theory
The idea behind the digital rear-view mirror is it will entirely replace a conventional mirror with a smaller profile alternative in a more easily seen location. To prove the concept, RISE came up with a prototype version of the digital rear-view mirror, which has automatic panning features so that if you’re making a turn or traveling through a roundabout, you’ll still get a clear view of everything behind you or on either side of you. This is particularly important when driving through urban areas or in tight quarters where too many blind spots could lead to a potential accident.
Other Benefits
In addition to just giving drivers more to look at, digital rear-view mirrors could also help during inclement weather where traditional mirrors may get obscured or covered. And because the mirror is in a more compact form, it will reduce air drag to make the vehicle itself run more efficiently. RISE also plans to use a built-in infrared system to make it possible to see better while driving at night. All of these different features come together to address some of the biggest challenges drivers face when driving down highways or when navigating through tight turns.
Source: Scania