Seeing the safety difference of camera monitor systems | FE Unscripted

The “no zones.” Long before I was editor of Fleet Equipment, a driver’s ed. video introduced me to the multitude of blind spots that surround a truck. Corny to be sure, but effective as I’ve remembered that song for (counts the years since getting a license)… far too long. Fitting then that another video would show me that those blind spots can be reduced, providing a truck driver far more visibility and awareness of the road and traffic around them through camera monitor systems. Basically, cameras in the place of mirrors.
Stoneridge’s MirrorEye camera monitor system was the first to have an FMCSA exemption that allows the manufacturer to remove the truck’s rear view mirrors and replacing them with a multitude of cameras, offering a boost in fuel efficiency thanks to improved aerodynamics in addition to improved safety through visibility. It’s one of those things you have to see to understand the impact it can have on truck operation. So I grabbed a couple of cameras and headed to Lexington, Ohio, to visit with Stoneridge, see the MirrorEye camera monitor system in action and take a ride with professional driver Mario Gafencu, who boasts more than 2.5 million safe driving miles on his resumé. The guy knows safety and how a camera monitor system can make a driver’s life better and a fleet’s operation safer.
Watch the video above for all the insight, and maybe you’ll remember it as well as I’ve remembered the No-Zones, even though their days could be numbered thanks to this technology.

[@BikerTrashWolf]

My company just put me in a new truck with this system. I am not in love. The best way i can describe my feeling about it so far is you can see a lot less of quite a bit more. Past about a quarter of a mile back i can tell if there is a vehicle there but not what it is. Daytime, i really like the field of vision, the down facing camera is my favorite part of the whole system, gives me a clear view up past my front bumper, got to see a woman in a chevy almost merge onto me just today. Close second is the distance markers on the main mirror. Not in love with the zoom feature though, if it was an optical zoom that would be cool, but just making grainy video even grainier is not very useful. Probably going to just disable that function. My major gripe is night time use. The glare is terrible, i cant see anything past the first vehicle if i am on a multi lane road. It just turns headlights into big blobs of light that all seem to blend together. I can look in my glass mirror and i can count the cars quite a ways back clearly and distinctly.

[@DG-mo5kr]

Personally I think an old fashioned mirror works fine. They are less expensive and you don’t need to worry it won’t work.

[@ninonicebx]

Super great information. Ty. I dig those mirrors.

[@adamspencer6666]

Are we going to see a 360 view soon on semis? That would be insane. Need a magnetic mountable cam for the trailer

[@NightowlTrucking]

We can only hope... I’m planning to get a DJI Action 2 (tiny Bluetooth/Wi-Fi magnetic camera) to slap on the side of my trailer when bumping docks. That, plus this camera system would make blind siding much less miserable.

[@adamspencer6666]

@@NightowlTrucking it does seam like blindsiding with this cam setup would be 100 times easier. I used to do it all the time in a day cab. I avoid it at all costs in the sleeper though 😂

[@adamspencer6666]

@@NightowlTrucking also I’d love to hear how your rear can setup works out. I am really wanted to atleast have a rear view as I’m just so tired of being so blind behind the 53’ dry vans

[@jeremycolston8383]

Our company going to these. None of the drivers want them, but being forced on us. Guess we’ll see how many of our bosses can drive when that happens.

[@khalidmahmood5114]

Very nice

[@oscarlindelof1736]

Does this record accidents

[@jaimariodobson376]

Is there a truck age limit to install this on and what’s the cost I have a 2006 Freightliner Century

[@jamesbaxter2812]

That is nice. But is it recorded for about 6 days

[@dannygingerich2360]

This would be amazing for oversized loads too

[@mussiemesgena925]

Where can I get it

[@user-il8qn9my8u]

Yet they dont add a camera to cover rear end of the trailer while reversing on the blind side ,how comes ??? The monitor should have a touch in of Zooming feature to be able to look for a far view as well as ehanced view on the rear wheels to distinguish flat tires or ground sinking 😢

[@BobirJon369]

Is it recording also? Thanks

[@adamspencer6666]

That’s what I’m wondering. I’m sure the big companies are thinking about doing it 😑

[@earlwilliams5473]

I'm glad my careers almost over there's too many control freaks out there now.

[@brendazamora3061]

Hola q precio tiene

[@jukeboxjuice-li8fb]

How much ?

[@simpletruckerstuff9478]

Can this be put on older trucks? No price for system & installation.

[@FleetEquipment]

I believe so. You'd have to contact Stoneridge and go direct through them for pricing and installation.

[@eliyassulitan7095]

Pls can you tell this camera price?

[@albertvasquez6207]

Excellent rookie equipment till it stop working 😂

[@yoeddygranado4040]

Don’t trust. This ting many people complain. You can't see the lights well at night. It doesn't work to park. I know it from the same drivers the amazon

[@MONJARASCH1]

Wow,wow naw I see different back on 2003 I bought my first truck I bought 3 monitors and 12 tiney cameras from China was very excited took load from chicago. IL with 2 drops 1 in Salt Lake. UT last on tacoma. Wa wen I was driving on Wyoming a ford pickup truck pulled a trailer whit train Trac lumber wiggle and hitting my truck those 2 guy on pickup truck blame and WY state troop ask me for all my information and wrote me a ticket. I ask why you issue me a ticket. He said for speeding, reckless, and damage to state, and then I ask him if I can show him something to clarify that situation hi replying how come, I ask let me show you on cameras hi laughed at me I show him inside my truck his eye popping up, he said wow,hi saw my video cameras and hi exclaimed ! They lied me on my face ,short history I didn't got ticket but other guy got ticket as well the passenger for liar to police 😂😂😂😂 since that all my truck have cameras now I driving a volvo 2007 put an 2017 side cameras on hood mirror and I took of rear mirror and got a ticket for no mirror I still have copy of ticket 😢😢😢 I will call Cort to give me my money back I will take pictures of all truck with no mirror and show to court😂😂😂😂😂

[@bill4824]

If you are having connection issues due to the movement of the truck, shouldn't that have been taken into consideration during the design phase of this system? After all, there is no way of changing a semi's movements. It bounces, that's what they do. But, your company should've taken that into consideration. Can't blame it on the truck if you are designing an aftermarket product. Nasty turn? How many miles you got behind the wheel? Man, that was a typical turn, nothing nasty about it.

[@trishvivionthompson3931]

Driving over 20 years 25 million safe miles? He's driving over a million miles a year. I'm skeptical.

[@MeLikesPie]

2.5 million think he said that makes more sense

[@dannygingerich2360]

He definitely didn't say 25

[@NightowlTrucking]

25M in 25 years? You’d have to drive about 20k miles a week! 😂

[@bill4824]

@@NightowlTrucking He said 2.5 not 25

[@NightowlTrucking]

@@bill4824 - I know… 😂

[@pedrogonzalez5333]

Impossed by people that don't drive trucks on truck drivers . This is not a safety improvemt but an added hazard while driving . The image is smaller . Can't judge distances property while overtaking or reversing .can't even say your rear tyres are low in air or flat

[@AHomeInTrucking]

Having driven with a company that has these installed I can reassure you a bit, the screens are way bigger then they look. You can 100% see more in those cameras then you can in regular mirrors, the cameras are higher up so you tend to see more cars then normal mirrors not to mention you don’t get headlight glare. You can 100% judge distance I thought I’d be worried about that too and tried to look more in my regular mirrors but you find yourself looking in the camera way more. Seeing it on camera versus using it in real life doesn’t do it the justice that seeing it in person does

[@adamspencer6666]

@@AHomeInTrucking it definitely looked pretty good to me judging from this vid. I did a stint of ltl in a early 2000s international daycab. I could not believe the viewing angle of your blindside. Blindside 90 anyone?!

[@robertschoonover6517]

Definitely not sold on all this new technology. Looking at a tv screen all night definitely hard on the eyes.

[@MusicMath123]

...and GPS does not

[@oscarlindelof1736]

True... Even turning the down the contrast still hurts... Can't imagine having it right next to my face.

[@AHomeInTrucking]

So I used it and thought the same but it honestly it the night vision alters the color kinda like a blue light filter that helps way more then you’d think , on the plus’s side the camera doesn’t see glare either so high beams no longer become a problem

[@deerepower337]

Oh wow more crap to go wrong

[@AHomeInTrucking]

If it helps I’ve heard their maintenance team are extremely incredible, a driver who has it says he was going on a vacation Monday, and called them same day for the camera being down, told them he’d leave his truck key in his truck. Dude I kid you not went out shopping with his family and by the time he got back the maintenance guy was putting the camera back together and ready to hand him the key. Btw this dude didn’t live in an easy place to reach. Now not saying they’ll be perfect but they are 100% on it. The cost to buy these camera systems include a lifetime warranty and 24 hour maintenance team

[@trustinthelord2248]

Hope it never go out

[@khalidmahmood5114]

Khalid Mahmood from Pakistan

[@MrNastytrucker44]

Pakistan is gay