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Forward-Collision-Avoidance Tech for Towing
For towers, there are the growing number of distractions in the cab from cellphones, digital dispatch systems, reacting to other distracted and/or aggressive drivers on the road and so much more. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 71 percent of large truck crashes occur when the driver is doing something besides driving the truck. AAA data showing that drivers remain distracted for up to 27 seconds after using a device correlates those distractions to the large percentage of crashes. Using some type of collision avoidance technology can improve the tow operators’ chances of maintaining a good safety record on the road. The National Transportation Safety Board has found that more than 80 percent of rear-end crashes could be prevented with forward collision avoidance systems. Mobile Video Computing Solutions has announced its cooperation with Mobileye, an Intel Company, to provide towers that technology to be safer and better aware on the road. The Mobileye® 8 Connect™ collision avoidance system is now featured through MVCSOL as a standalone or integrated system for video and collision avoidance as a solution for the towing industry. D. Scott Watkins CEO, Mobile Video Computing Solutions
10 • June 2021 | Towman.com
The Mobileye 8 Connect system is an AI-powered vision-based aftermarket collision avoidance system that can be retrofitted onto almost any vehicle. On the road, drivers receive real-time alerts, day and night, of potential hazards and dangerous situations, providing them time to react and avert those dangerous situations or mitigate their impact. Fleet managers gain crucial insights via these warnings and learn more about which drivers engage in unsafe habits and might benefit from extra training, as well as seeing which drivers should be rewarded for safe driving. The vision-based system continually scans the road ahead for obstacles and potential dangers, without getting tired or distracted, and evaluates them via the AI-powered EyeQ™ chip to mimic how people understand the roadscape. The AI system is validated to the highest level of safety and accuracy over millions of miles and more than 20 years of experience. On the road, drivers receive real-time alerts of potential hazards with audio and visual warnings with time to react and mitigate a collision. A windshield-mounted camera unit includes the EyeQ chip and a speaker for audio alerts. Using an EyeWatch™ display, mounted in the lower windshield area of a driver’s peripheral vision, provides visual alerts that include: • Pedestrian and cyclist warning. Alerts drivers of an imminent collision with a pedestrian or cyclist. • Headway monitoring and warning. Helps drivers keep a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead. • Forward collision warning. Alerts drivers of an imminent collision with a vehicle or motorcycle ahead. • Lane departure warning. Alerts drivers when there is an unintentional deviation from the driving lane. • Speed limit indicator. Recognizes speed limit signs and notifies the driver, both of the new speed limit and if they exceed it. • These features Meet NHTSA guidelines. When Mobileye’s sensors detect a dangerous situation ahead, they generate both audio and visual cues, pulling the driver’s attention back to the road and warning the driver in time to prevent or mitigate a collision. Fleets are seeing vast improvements through installation of Mobileye 8 Connect, including Dish USA (cut in-scope collision costs 73 percent), Ambu-Trans Ambulette (reduced collisionrelated costs by 91 percent), and P&B Transport (insurance claims dropped from $800,000 to $20,000). “Mobileye has helped us to reduce incidents on the road and maintain a high safety rating with our insurance,” said Jimmy Pardo, VP/founder of P&B Transport.
Scott.Watkins@mvcsol.com J.Harvey@mvcsol.com