Every day, pedestrians and cyclists on the streets are in danger from trucks turning. MAN now wants to ensure an all-round view in the vehicles.
The truck manufacturer MAN wants to reduce the number of turning accidents with a new digital blind spot assistant that replaces conventional mirrors with cameras and displays.
The all-round view “protects cyclists in the city in particular or, for example, pedestrians at a rest area”, announced MAN on Wednesday at the start of a Europe-wide advertising campaign on motorway service stations.
According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, 426 cyclists had a fatal accident last year. Every day pedestrians and cyclists are endangered by trucks and buses turning off, “many of these accidents could be avoided by turning assistants”. However, the EU forbids national solo efforts and only prescribes blind spot assistants for new vehicles from July 2024. The Ministry of Transport is already funding the voluntary equipment with up to 1500 euros.
Daimler has been offering its truck buyers turning assistants since 2016, and since June 2021 has been the first manufacturer to offer a version that not only warns the driver, but also brakes them automatically. The demand for turning assistants is positive in most European markets. The greatest demand was last year “in Germany and Switzerland, where around 85 percent of the Actros models for which the system is available have already been ordered with the Sideguard Assist,” said Daimler.
MAN customers can buy the OptiView mirror replacement as an option for 2450 euros. The advertising campaign started on Wednesday at the Schweitenkirchen rest area on the A9 north of Munich and should also go to Poland, Belgium, France, Spain and Italy by August 24.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
