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Mercedes-Benz trucks have replaced their conventional rearview mirrors with the MirrorCam camera system to provide greater safety.
The new Actros is the first series production truck in the world to be equipped with the new MirrorCam which consists of two cameras mounted on the left and right of the roof frame, two upright monitors mounted on the A-pillars in the driver’s cab and control elements in the door module and in the secondary display.
Now the driver has an unobstructed view where rear-view and wide-angle mirrors previously covered large areas to the right and left of the A-pillar. It also provides an advantage above all at junctions, when manoeuvring and in tight bends. The driver also won’t need to look as far to the right or left to see traffic to the rear.
The MirrorCam swivels the image of the camera mounted toward the inside of the bend so that the driver always has the end of the trailer in view.
The MirrorCam features distance indicator lines that help drivers estimate the distances behind the truck. Three fixed lines are shown together with a line that the driver can adjust precisely to mark the end of the vehicle before starting a journey.
Used in combination with the information shown in the displays by the assistance systems, the driver can now better assess three typical situations in particular: when is there sufficient distance to move out to the left? When manoeuvring, what is the distance at the rear of the vehicle? After overtaking, when can the driver safely merge to the right again?
The MirrorCam warns drivers visually when the system detects a moving or stationary object in the monitored zone on the co-driver’s side of the truck. Plus, the light transmission of the cameras is high. Hence, the displays show an image that is much brighter than the natural light so drivers receive better information about their surroundings than with a mirror. Furthermore, the brightness is adjusted to the prevailing light conditions which work both on the open road and in tunnels.
It’s no wonder that the new Actros won the title “International Truck of the Year 2020”. The MirrorCam has provided improved aerodynamics and safety to the vehicle and driver as well as increased efficiency.
The jury of what is the most important European award for the truck segment also highlighted the progress made in connectivity. New features in the Actros include Active Drive Assist which enables semi-automated driving in all speed ranges, the improved Active Brake Assist 5 emergency brake assistance system, the fully networked Multimedia Cockpit and the Predictive Powertrain Control intelligent cruise control and transmission management system.
The “International Truck of the Year” award is presented annually by Europe’s leading commercial vehicle journalists. Mercedes-Benz is the most frequently awarded brand in the history of the competition and has already enjoyed successes with all previous versions of the Actros.
