Driving Blind: The Solution To Blind Spots

Blind spots around large vehicles are one of the most well-understood causes of serious accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians. The physics of HGV cab design creates areas of zero visibility that mirrors alone cannot adequately compensate for. Camera and sensor technology changes this, providing drivers with visibility that wasn't previously possible.

Where the Blind Spots Are

The most dangerous blind spots on HGVs are: the nearside (left side) of the vehicle, where a cyclist in the door zone of a cab can be invisible to the driver; the area directly behind a long trailer; and the front of the vehicle directly below the cab windows. These are the zones where the most serious incidents occur, and they're the zones that camera systems are specifically designed to address.

360-Degree Camera Systems

A 360-degree surround-view system combines feeds from multiple cameras positioned around the vehicle to create a single bird's-eye view that eliminates all blind spots simultaneously. The driver sees a composite image showing the complete vehicle surroundings on a single display, updated in real time.

The practical benefit is significant. Drivers making complex manoeuvres in urban environments (reversing, turning across traffic, pulling up to a kerb) have complete situational awareness that simply wasn't achievable with mirrors.

Side Scan Sensors

Side scan sensors add an active detection layer that operates independently of the camera system. Radar or ultrasonic sensors detect objects in the blind spot zone and trigger audible and visual alerts when the vehicle is moving. This provides protection even when the driver is focused on other aspects of a manoeuvre.