Wabco has unveiled OnSide, a blind spot detection system for commercial trucks and trailers.
The radar-based technology alerts drivers of the presence of a moving vehicle in a lorry’s blind spot and provides a side collision warning to reduce the risk of accidents.
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Wabco made the announcement leading up to the American Trucking Association’s 2017 Management Conference and Exhibition (MCE 2017) taking place from 21-24 October in Orlando, Florida.
OnSide helps improve commercial vehicle safety by alerting drivers to the potential of a side collision with a vehicle travelling in a truck’s blind spot, an area in the adjacent lane which drivers cannot see in rearview or side view mirrors.
The system uses short range radar to detect a moving vehicle in the blind spot and then alerts the driver with a visual signal. When the truck’s turn signal is engaged, the system provides a more assertive warning in the form of an audible signal or a seat vibration.
When used in conjunction with Wabco’s OnLaneAssist lane keeping assist system, OnSide has the capability to go beyond warning to enable active collision avoidance.
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By GlobalDataIn that case, if a lane change is initiated and OnSide detects a vehicle in the adjacent lane, OnLaneAssist applies a correction torque to the steering wheel to return the vehicle towards the lane centre. Wabco’s lane keeping assist system also releases the torque as soon as the proper driving path is re-established.
Wabco OnSide’s radar sensor enables a 160-degree field of view and provides coverage for up to 65% of a standard 53-foot trailer. The system performs reliably even in low visibility conditions such as darkness, fog, rain or snow.
In addition, Wabco OnSide distinguishes moving vehicles from objects which do not pose a hazard, thereby minimising false warnings. OnSide can be mounted out of sight behind fairings on either side of the vehicle and features plug-and-play functionality which does not require alignment or calibration.
“This blind spot detection system not only provides a solution to help reduce side collisions involving commercial vehicles, but it also provides capability for active collision avoidance for the autonomous vehicles of the future,” said Wabco president Americas, Jon Morrison.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported among the 97,000 annual large truck crashes involving intentional lane changes, side view assist technologies could prevent or mitigate nearly 39,000 crashes annually, including 2,000 that result in injury and 79 which cause fatalities.
OnSide will be available as a retrofit kit next month and through major North American lorry manufacturers in the first quarter of 2018.
